Kern County child death report reveals 47 avoidable deaths in 2024 – KBAK

2024 Kern County Child Death Report: Analysis and Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

Executive Summary

The Kern County Board of Supervisors conducted its annual review of the Child Death Report, which identified 128 child fatalities in 2024. Of these, 47 were classified as avoidable, highlighting significant challenges in achieving Sustainable Development Goal 3 (Good Health and Well-being), specifically Target 3.2 concerning the prevention of child mortality. The report, presented by Public Health Program Manager Chad Casto, serves as a critical tool for developing strategies to protect vulnerable populations and strengthen community health systems.

Detailed Findings of the 2024 Report

The analysis of child fatalities reveals key areas requiring targeted intervention to advance local and global development goals.

• Total Child Deaths: 128
• Avoidable Child Deaths: 47

The 47 avoidable deaths were categorized as follows:

1. Accidental: 17 deaths
   • Motor vehicle accidents were the primary cause of accidental deaths, directly impacting SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) and its target for safe transportation systems.
   • A total of five drownings occurred, representing a 200% increase from 2023 and underscoring a critical gap in public safety measures.
2. Undetermined: 9 deaths
3. Natural: 8 deaths
4. Homicides: 7 deaths
5. Suicides: 6 deaths

Comparative Analysis and SDG Implications

While the report indicates progress in some areas, significant disparities remain, posing challenges to the principles of SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities).

• Child Abuse and Neglect: Rates have reached their lowest point since 2020. However, Kern County’s five-year average remains nearly 62% higher than the California statewide rate. This disparity directly contravenes SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions), particularly Target 16.2, which aims to end abuse, exploitation, and all forms of violence against children.
• Official Commentary: Board of Supervisors member Jeff Flores acknowledged the positive downward trend but stressed the urgent need to address the gap between county, state, and national averages. He also called for a more detailed analysis of deaths attributed to natural causes to determine their true preventability.

Strategic Recommendations for SDG Alignment

To address the report’s findings, a multi-faceted approach grounded in the Sustainable Development Goals is required. Supervisor Flores emphasized that targeted interventions focusing on education and behavioral change are essential for saving lives.

• Enhance Public Education (SDG 4: Quality Education): Implement widespread awareness campaigns on public safety, water safety, and proper child supervision techniques to prevent accidental deaths.
• Strengthen Community Health Systems (SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being): Increase outreach and educational initiatives to reduce preventable deaths from accidents, suicides, and homicides.
• Promote Safe and Inclusive Communities (SDG 11 & SDG 16): Invest in safer transportation infrastructure and public spaces while intensifying efforts to reduce all forms of violence against children, thereby closing the inequality gap highlighted in the report.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Kern County Child Death Report

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

The article on the Kern County 2024 Child Death Report directly addresses and connects to two primary Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being: This is the most prominent SDG, as the entire report focuses on understanding and preventing child deaths. The article discusses various causes of death, including accidents, suicides, and natural causes, all of which fall under the umbrella of health and well-being. The goal of the report is to reduce child mortality, which is a core component of SDG 3.
• SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions: This SDG is relevant due to the article’s specific mention of violence against children. The report includes data on homicides and the rates of child abuse and neglect, which directly relate to the SDG 16 target of ending all forms of violence against children.

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

Based on the details provided in the article, several specific SDG targets can be identified:

1. Under SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being:
   • Target 3.2: End preventable deaths of newborns and children under 5 years of age. The article’s central theme is the 47 “avoidable” child deaths reported in 2024. The entire purpose of the report is to “better understand and prevent child deaths,” which aligns perfectly with this target’s focus on ending preventable mortality.
   • Target 3.4: Reduce by one third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and well-being. The mention of six suicides among children connects to the mental health and well-being aspect of this target.
   • Target 3.6: Halve the number of global deaths and injuries from road traffic accidents. The article explicitly states that “Motor vehicle accidents were the leading cause of accidental deaths,” making this target directly relevant to the findings.
2. Under SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions:
   • Target 16.2: End abuse, exploitation, trafficking and all forms of violence against and torture of children. This target is clearly addressed by the article’s data on “seven homicides” and the discussion on rates of “child abuse and neglect in Kern County.” The report highlights that while rates have decreased, the county’s average remains significantly higher than the state’s, indicating a need for continued focus in this area.

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

Yes, the article mentions several specific quantitative and qualitative indicators that can be used to measure progress:

• Indicator for Target 3.2 (End preventable child deaths): The number of “avoidable” child deaths (reported as 47) serves as a direct indicator. The total number of child deaths (128) is also a primary metric for child mortality rates.
• Indicator for Target 3.6 (Reduce road traffic deaths): The article identifies “motor vehicle accidents” as the leading cause of accidental deaths. The specific number of deaths from this cause would be the direct indicator.
• Indicator for Target 16.2 (End violence against children): The article provides two clear indicators:
  1. The number of child “homicides” (reported as seven).
  2. The rate of “child abuse and neglect.” The article provides a comparative indicator, stating that “the county’s five-year average remains nearly 62% higher than the statewide rate.”
• Other Implied Indicators: The article also provides data points that can serve as indicators for specific public health challenges:
  • Number of deaths by drowning: Reported as five, which is a “200% increase from 2023.” This is a specific indicator for water safety effectiveness.
  • Number of deaths by suicide: Reported as six, serving as an indicator for child mental health issues.

4. Create a table with three columns titled ‘SDGs, Targets and Indicators” to present the findings from analyzing the article.

Source: bakersfieldnow.com