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Associated Indicators
Child deaths in children aged <5 years, by cause, number
Short name:
Deaths in children aged <5 years, by cause
Data type:
Count
Topic:
MORTALITY
Rationale:
Reliable and timely data on causes of death are needed to better focus the attention of the global community on improving the survival of children under 5 years and to guide effective policy and programmes in countries
Definition:
Number of deaths in children under 5 years by cause, age group with cause defined by ICD-10 codes for common conditions
Associated terms:
Child mortality
Disaggregation:
Age, Cause
Method of measurement
Data from civil registration with complete coverage (80% or over) and medical certification of cause of death, or nationally representative epidemiological studies of causes of child death (special studies analysing causes of death based on verbal autopsy studies or other sources for countries without civil registration data).  
M&E Framework:
Impact
Method of estimation:
Estimates of child cause of death were prepared by the Child and Adolescent Cause of Death group (CA CODE) for complete methods please see Perin j, Mulick A, Yeung D et al. Global, regional and national causes of under-5 mortality in 2000-2019: an updated systematic analysis with implications for the Sustainable Development Goals.M Lancet Child Adolesc. Health 2022; 6: 106-15.https://doi.org/10.1016/ S2352-4642(21)00311-4 And its update for 2021 in Villavicencio F, Perin J, Eilerts-Spinelli H, et al. Global, regional, and national causes of death in children and adolescents younger than 20 years: an open data portal with estimates for 2000–21. Lancet Glob Health; Published Online October 25, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1016/ S2214-109X(23)00496-5.
Method of estimation of global and regional aggregates:
Estimates for UN Member States
Other possible data sources:
Special studies
Preferred data sources:
Civil registration with complete coverage and medical certification of cause of death
Unit of Measure:
Number of deaths
Expected frequency of data dissemination:
Biennial
Expected frequency of data collection:
Biennial
Comments:
A better understanding of the indirect contributions of diseases to child deaths is needed in order to assess disease control priorities and evaluate interventions.

Three of the cause groups used for this indicator require special definition:

“Other Group 1 (postneonatal)” includes other infections and conditions that occurred in the newborn period but resulted in a postneonatal death, i.e., tetanus, neonatal sepsis, prematurity, and birth asphyxia/trauma.

“Other noncommunicable diseases (postneonatal only)” includes other NCDs, i.e. cancers.

“Other Group 1 and Other noncommunicable (neonatal and under-5 only)” includes other infectious causes of the newborn, i.e. HIV/AIDS, measles, pertussis.  

Contact person email:
strongk@who.int
Name:
Kate Strong
IMRID:
3365
Limitations:
Estimates are useful for country comparisons and trends over time but not for sub-national level or programme specific monitoring.
Links:
Global, regional, and national causes of death in children and adolescents younger than 20 years: an open data portal with estimates for 2000–21, Lancet || https://www.thelancet.com/journals/langlo/article/PIIS2214-109X(23)00496-5/fulltext
UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation || https://childmortality.org/
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