U.S.: Cancer Death Rates in Children and Adolescents, by race
Race and ethnicity2001,
per 100,000
2011,
per 100,000
2021,
per 100,000
White, non-Hispanic2.732.271.99
Black, non-Hispanic2.672.282.38
Hispanic2.932.502.36
  • Region: United States
  • Time period: 2001, 2011, and 2021
  • Published: Nov 2023

Data Analysis and Insights

Updated: Mar 28, 2024 | Published by: Statistico | About Us | Data sources

Decline in Cancer Death Rates Among White, Non-Hispanic Children and Adolescents

Between 2001 and 2021, White, non-Hispanic children and adolescents experienced a significant reduction in cancer death rates, decreasing from 2.73 per 100,000 to 1.99 per 100,000. This 27.1% decline highlights a positive trend in cancer outcomes for this demographic over two decades.

Comparative Analysis of Cancer Death Rates Across Ethnicities in 2021

In 2021, the cancer death rate among Hispanic children and adolescents was slightly lower than that of their Black, non-Hispanic counterparts, with rates of 2.36 per 100,000 and 2.38 per 100,000, respectively. This marginal difference underscores the close disparities in cancer mortality rates across these ethnic groups in recent years.

Overall Reduction in Cancer Death Rates Across All Ethnicities by 2021

All observed ethnic groups saw reductions in cancer death rates from 2001 to 2021, with White, non-Hispanic, and Hispanic children and adolescents experiencing decreases of 27.1% and 19.5% respectively. However, the Black, non-Hispanic group's rate slightly increased by 4.1%, indicating a need for targeted interventions.

Largest Decrease in Cancer Death Rates Among Hispanic Children and Adolescents From 2001 to 2011

Hispanic children and adolescents observed the largest decrease in cancer death rates in the decade from 2001 to 2011, dropping from 2.93 per 100,000 to 2.50 per 100,000. This 14.7% reduction signifies a substantial improvement in healthcare or access thereto for Hispanic youths during this period.

Rising Cancer Death Rate Among Black, Non-Hispanic Children and Adolescents From 2011 to 2021

Contrary to the overall trend of decreasing cancer death rates, Black, non-Hispanic children and adolescents experienced an increase in their cancer death rate from 2.28 per 100,000 in 2011 to 2.38 per 100,000 in 2021. This uptick, though slight, raises concerns about health disparities and the effectiveness of cancer prevention and treatment strategies within this group.

Frequently Asked Questions

How has the cancer death rate changed for White, non-Hispanic children and adolescents from 2001 to 2021?

The cancer death rate for White, non-Hispanic children and adolescents fell from 2.73 per 100,000 in 2001 to 1.99 per 100,000 in 2021.

What were the cancer death rates among Hispanic and Black, non-Hispanic children and adolescents in 2021?

The cancer death rates in 2021 were 2.36 per 100,000 for Hispanic and 2.38 per 100,000 for Black, non-Hispanic children and adolescents.

How much has the cancer death rate decreased among different ethnicities from 2001 to 2021?

From 2001 to 2021, the cancer death rate decreased by 27.1% for White, non-Hispanic children and adolescents and by 19.5% for their Hispanic counterparts, but slightly increased by 4.1% for Black, non-Hispanic children and adolescents.

Terms and Definitions

Cancer is a broad term for a class of diseases characterized by abnormal cells that grow and invade healthy cells in the body. Differences in the behavior of cancer cells and the types of cells they originate from lead to various forms of cancer, such as breast cancer, lung cancer, or leukemia.

Death rate is a measure of the number of deaths, in general or due to a specific cause, in a particular population, scaled to the size of that population, per unit of time. Often, it is calculated as the number of deaths per 1,000 people per year.

Children generally refer to individuals who are not yet of legal adult age. In the context of medical research, it often refers to individuals in the age group of 0-14 years.

Adolescents typically refer to individuals in their teenage years, between childhood and adulthood. In terms of medical studies, this group is commonly defined as individuals aged 15 to 19 years.

Race is a social construct that groups people into distinct categories based on characteristics such as physical appearance, ancestry, genetic lineage, and cultural history. In the context of this research, the term most likely refers to differences in cancer death rates among various racial/ethnic groups.

Cancer death rate in children and adolescents refers to the death rate resulting from cancer specifically in individuals who fall within the age parameters defined for children and adolescents.

Oncology is a branch of medicine that specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. Oncologists are the medical professionals who practice in this field.

Epidemiology is the science that studies the distribution, patterns, and determinants of health and disease conditions in specific populations. It is typically used for public health purposes to understand how diseases affect different communities and to develop strategies for prevention and control.

Health disparities refer to differences in health outcomes and their determinants between segments of the population, as defined by social, demographic, environmental, and geographic attributes. In the context of the article, it may refer to the differences in cancer death rates among children and adolescents from different racial groups.