Patterns of Mortality for Children and Adolescents in Early 20th-Century Alaska.

OBJECTIVES

Odds of death from specific causes in infants, children, and adolescents in Alaska have not been quantified with vital records. We analyze the odds of death from 12 causes in individuals ≤ 18 years.

METHODS

We fit a multinomial logistic regression model (n = 12 904 death records) controlling for Indigeneity, age, sex, and year of death to predict the odds of specific causes of death.

RESULTS

Alaska Native individuals were most likely to die from tuberculosis and respiratory infections, while non-Alaska Native individuals were most likely to die from early infant health problems and accidents/violence. Infectious diseases and nutritional and endocrine disorders were most likely in ages 0-5, while accidents/violence, cardiovascular issues, and tuberculosis were most likely in ages 10-18.

CONCLUSIONS

Proportionate mortality and odds of death differed significantly, reflecting the different structures of Alaska Native versus non-Alaska Native populations in the 20th century and reinforcing demographic observations in the historical record.