NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Tennessee Department of Health released its Childhood Fatality Report, which found guns were the "leading external cause of death" for children in 2021.
While the report said 926 children were reported dead in the state, 906 of those cases met the child fatality review requirements, and 862 of those cases were included in the report.
It found the state's rate of childhood fatalities exceeded the national rate of child mortality by around 19.7%. They said there were around 60.4 deaths per 100,000 children in Tennessee, compared to a rate of 48.5 deaths per 100,000 children across the U.S.
The report also found around 47.5% of all child deaths included in the report were preventable. It said few of the child deaths due to medical conditions were preventable. It also found 49.4% of those child deaths were by natural means.
The report found 67 Tennessee children died by homicide in 2021 — an increase of 18.7% since 2017. Guns were the leading cause of lethality, the report said. They were used in 86% of homicides, according to the report.
The report said safe storage of guns could prevent more child deaths, as well as "increasing engagement of high-risk parents in intensive early intervention services." They also said the state could try raising awareness about how adverse childhood experiences can impact the risk of intentional injury.
Suicide was the second-leading cause of death among American children between ten years old and 14 years old, and it was the third-leading cause of death among youth between 15 years old and 24 years old. Thirty-seven Tennessee children died by suicide, according to the report.
However, between 2017 and 2021, the report said the rate of suicide among children in the state decreased by around 29%. They said the Tennessee rate of suicide among children matched the U.S. rate in 2021.
However, the total rate of firearm deaths exceeded the national rate in Tennessee. The report said 85 children died due to incidents involving guns, at a rate of around 5.5 deaths per 100,000 children. The national rate is around 3.5 deaths per 100,000 children.
The report also said the rate of death increased by 17% since 2017 and is 36.4% higher than the national average. The report said 93% of all firearm-related child deaths in Tennessee were preventable.
Children between 15 years old and 17 years old were the most impacted, with 58 deaths included in the report. Most firearm deaths were due to homicides, the report said. Around 24% were suicides, and only 5% were accidents.
Eighty-two motor-vehicle deaths were included in the Childhood Fatality Report, bearing out gun-related deaths. Tennessee's rate of motor-vehicle deaths was 43.2% higher than the national average.
Drowning was the leading cause of death among children between one year old and four years old. They said for every fatal drowning incident, there are seven non-fatal injuries that require care at a medical facility. It also said two-thirds of children who died by drowning died in a pool, hot tub, spa or in open water.
The rate of child drownings was 2.2 deaths per 100,000 children — rising to almost double the national rate. Thirty-three drowning deaths were included in the report.
"The increase in the number of drowning deaths is partly attributable to the August 2021 flood in middle Tennessee that claimed the lives of many Tennesseans, including children," the report said.