Final answer:
Adolescents face various leading causes of death, including accidents, drug overdoses, heart disease, and cancers, with shifts in trends observed over time. Motor vehicle crashes and drug overdoses, specifically from opioids, are significant accidental death causes. Meanwhile, in low-income countries, preventable diseases are among the top causes for children under five.
Step-by-step explanation:
Leading Causes of Death Among Adolescents
The leading causes of death among adolescents vary but include accidents (such as motor vehicle crashes), drug overdoses, as well as conditions like heart disease and certain types of cancers. Over time, patterns have shifted. For example, in 1999, motor vehicle crashes were a leading cause of accidental death, but by 2014, drug overdoses, particularly from heroin and opioid painkillers, became more prevalent. Of note, homicides, car crashes, and self harm attempts are reported as the most common causes of death during early adulthood. A sedentary lifestyle and high trans-fat diets contribute to an increased risk of heart disease, which is the leading cause of death in the United States overall.
Adolescents are also at risk for traumatic brain injuries, often resulting from falls or automobile and motorcycle accidents. These can lead to immediate death or disability. Moreover, lifestyle factors such as smoking tobacco are linked to an increased risk of developing various types of cancer, including lung cancer, which is the deadliest form of cancer in the United States.
In low-income countries, the scenario is different for children under five, with pneumonia, diarrhea, congenital anomalies, preterm birth complications, birth asphyxia/trauma, and malaria being the most frequent causes of death. These conditions can often be prevented or treated with affordable interventions like immunization and quality healthcare, which highlights the disparity in healthcare resources available to high versus low-income countries.