Report on Child Mortality and Firearm-Related Fatalities in North Carolina

Introduction

This report analyzes data concerning the leading causes of child mortality in North Carolina, with a specific focus on the prevalence of firearm-related deaths. The findings are examined in the context of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those related to health, peace, and education. The analysis is prompted by a public statement from Governor Josh Stein and subsequent legislative debates on firearm regulations, highlighting the intersection of public policy, data, and global sustainability targets.

Analysis of Mortality Data

Context of the Inquiry

A claim that “guns are the leading cause of death for children in North Carolina” has been central to recent political discourse. This discussion coincides with legislative proposals that could alter firearm access for young adults and on school properties, including:

• Senate Bill 50: Would permit individuals as young as 18 to carry concealed handguns without training or background checks.
• House Bill 193: Would allow designated personnel, including parent volunteers, to carry guns on private school campuses.

Data Verification for Children Ages 1-17

Data from state and federal sources validate that for children aged 1 through 17, firearms are the primary cause of death. This finding directly challenges the achievement of key public health and safety objectives.

1. U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Data (2023): For this age group in North Carolina, firearm-related injuries caused 100 deaths, surpassing motor vehicle accidents, which accounted for 96 deaths.
2. North Carolina Child Fatality Task Force Report (2023 Data): The task force, a multi-stakeholder body, found that while “injuries” were the top cause of death, firearms were the deadliest instrument. Of the 137 combined homicides and suicides, 102 were committed with a firearm, exceeding the 99 deaths from motor vehicle accidents.
3. Historical Trend: Gun-related child fatalities have shown a significant increase since 2020, rising from a range of 38-62 per year (2014-2019) to over 100 in each year from 2020 to 2023.

Data Analysis Including Infants (Birth to Age 17)

When the dataset is expanded to include infants under one year of age, the leading cause of death shifts. Perinatal conditions, such as low birthweight and birth defects, were responsible for 448 deaths in 2023. However, public health researchers often analyze infant mortality separately due to its distinct causes, allowing for a clearer focus on external factors like injuries that affect older children and adolescents.

Implications for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

The high rate of firearm fatalities among children is a severe public health crisis that directly undermines Target 3.4, which aims to reduce premature mortality. Addressing gun violence is essential for promoting the physical safety and mental well-being of the youth population in North Carolina.

SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

The data presents a stark challenge to Target 16.1: “Significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates everywhere.” The ongoing legislative debate over firearm control reflects the critical role of state institutions in creating peaceful and safe societies. The failure to curb gun violence represents a failure to uphold this fundamental goal.

SDG 4: Quality Education

The proposal to allow firearms on school campuses (House Bill 193) is in direct opposition to Target 4.a, which calls for “safe, non-violent, inclusive and effective learning environments for all.” Ensuring school safety is a prerequisite for providing quality education, and policies that introduce firearms into these environments threaten to disrupt the educational mission and the well-being of students and staff.

SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

The North Carolina Child Fatality Task Force serves as an effective example of Target 17.17, which encourages multi-stakeholder partnerships. By bringing together experts from government, healthcare, and law enforcement, the task force provides the critical data and analysis needed to inform evidence-based policymaking aimed at protecting children.

Conclusion and Policy Considerations

Summary of Findings

For children in North Carolina aged 1 to 17, firearms are the leading cause of death, a statistic with profound implications for public health and safety. This reality highlights a significant gap in achieving key Sustainable Development Goals related to health, peace, and education.

Policy Considerations in the Context of SDGs

To align state policy with global sustainability commitments, the following should be considered:

1. Enhance Public Health Strategies: Implement and fund public health initiatives focused on injury prevention and safe gun storage to make progress toward SDG 3.
2. Strengthen Legislative Frameworks: Develop and pass legislation aimed at reducing all forms of violence and firearm-related deaths, thereby supporting the objectives of SDG 16.
3. Prioritize Safe Learning Environments: Reject policies that compromise school safety and instead invest in measures that create secure educational settings, as mandated by SDG 4.
4. Support Data-Driven Partnerships: Continue to support and utilize multi-stakeholder bodies like the Child Fatality Task Force to ensure policy is informed by comprehensive data, reflecting the collaborative spirit of SDG 17.

Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

  This goal is central to the article, which focuses on the causes of death among children in North Carolina. The entire discussion revolves around mortality rates, specifically comparing deaths from firearms, motor vehicle accidents, and perinatal conditions. This directly relates to ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all at all ages, with a particular emphasis on child health.

• SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

  This goal is addressed through the article’s focus on gun violence, homicide, and suicide as causes of death. The discussion of firearm-related fatalities is a direct reflection of the need to reduce violence and related death rates. Furthermore, the article highlights the role of institutions, such as the state legislature and the governor’s office, in addressing these issues through proposed bills (e.g., Senate Bill 50, House Bill 193) and budget requests for safe gun storage, pointing to the “strong institutions” aspect of this goal.

What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. Target 16.1: Significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates everywhere.

   This is the most prominent target. The article’s core subject is the high rate of death among children due to firearms. It explicitly states that “guns are the leading cause of death for children in North Carolina” for the 1-17 age group, with 102 children dying from gunshot wounds in 2023. The data on homicides (78) and suicides (59), a majority of which involved firearms, directly aligns with measuring and reducing violence-related death rates.

2. Target 16.2: End abuse, exploitation, trafficking and all forms of violence against and torture of children.

   The article’s focus on child fatalities resulting from gun violence, particularly homicides, directly relates to this target. The death of a child by homicide is the ultimate form of violence against children. The data from the North Carolina Child Fatality Task Force, which examines deaths of children up to age 17, is a mechanism for monitoring progress on this target.

3. Target 3.2: By 2030, end preventable deaths of newborns and children under 5 years of age.

   This target is relevant because the article makes a clear distinction between mortality causes for infants and older children. It notes that when infants (under 1) are included, “perinatal conditions become the leading cause of death,” with 448 deaths in 2023. This highlights the issue of infant mortality and preventable deaths of newborns, which is the focus of Target 3.2.

4. Target 3.4: By 2030, reduce by one third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and well-being.

   The article mentions that suicide was the cause of 59 child deaths in 2023. Suicide is directly linked to mental health and well-being. The fact that many of these suicides were committed with a firearm connects the issue of gun violence to the broader public health challenge of promoting mental health and preventing premature deaths.

5. Target 3.6: By 2020, halve the number of global deaths and injuries from road traffic accidents.

   Although the 2020 deadline has passed, this target is relevant as a benchmark within the article. Firearm-related deaths (100 according to CDC data) are directly compared to deaths from motor vehicle accidents (96), which was the second-leading cause of death for children aged 1-17. This comparison is used to establish the severity of gun violence, making data on road traffic fatalities a key contextual point.

Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Mortality rate due to homicide and violence

  The article provides specific numbers that serve as direct indicators. For children ages 1-17 in 2023, it reports 102 deaths from gunshot wounds, 78 deaths from homicide, and 59 from suicide. It also provides historical data, noting that gun-related child fatalities ranged from 38 to 62 per year between 2014-2019 before surging to 109 in 2020 and 121 in 2021. These figures can be used to track progress on reducing violence-related deaths (Target 16.1).

• Infant and child mortality rates

  The article provides clear indicators for child mortality. It states that 448 infants died from childbirth complications in 2023. This serves as an indicator for Target 3.2. The overall number of child deaths (over 1,400 in 2023) and the specific causes (firearms, motor vehicle accidents) are indicators for overall child well-being under SDG 3.

• Mortality rate from road traffic accidents

  The article explicitly states that motor vehicle accidents caused 96 deaths among children ages 1-17 in 2023. This number serves as a direct indicator for Target 3.6 and provides a crucial point of comparison for other causes of death.

• Suicide mortality rate

  The figure of 59 child suicides in 2023 is a direct indicator for the mental health component of Target 3.4. The article further specifies that a significant portion of these involved firearms, linking this indicator back to the broader issue of gun violence.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators Analysis

Source: wral.com