Objective To describe and analyze the temporal trends of motor vehicle traffic accident mortality rate among children aged 0 ~ 14 years in urban and rural areas of China from 2002 to 2021, providing a reference for the prevention and control of children’s motor vehicle traffic accidents in China.
Methods Based on the China Health Statistics Yearbook, data on motor vehicle traffic accident mortality rates among children aged 0 − 14 years in urban and rural areas from 2002 to 2021 were extracted, and the standardized mortality rates was calculated. The Joinpoint regression model was utilized to compute the annual percentage rate change (APC) and the average annual percentage rate change (AAPC) for mortality rates by region, gender, and age, and to analyze their temporal trends.
Results Joinpoint regression analysis revealed that the children’s motor vehicle traffic accident standardized mortality rates in both urban and rural areas showed a trend of first increasing and then decreasing. APC for the city’s growing stage was 8.96% (P < 0.05) before 2015, and APC for the city’s declining stage following 2015 was − 11.02% (P < 0.05). Before 2013, the rising stage in rural regions had an APC of 14.08% (P < 0.05), and after 2013, the decreasing stage had an APC of − 8.15% (P < 0.05). The AAPC for rural children from 2002 to 2021 was 4.13% (P < 0.05), which was higher than the AAPC for urban children (AAPC = 2.21%, P > 0.05). Gender-specific analysis revealed that rural boys and girls showed an overall upward trend during the research period, with AAPCs of 3.02% and 5.06%, respectively (P < 0.05). Age-specific mortality study results revealed an overall increased trend from 2002 to 2021 for the 1 − 4 years old and 5 − 9 years old groups in rural areas, with AAPC of 5.93% and 3.84%, respectively (P < 0.05).
Conclusions From 2002 to 2021, the standardized mortality rates of motor vehicle traffic accident of children aged 0 − 14 years in urban and rural areas of China showed a trend of first increasing and then decreasing, with an overall increasing trend in rural areas. In the future, traffic safety prevention and control should be further strengthened, especially in rural areas.
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