Over 1.5 million adolescents and young adults aged 10–24 years died in 2021, about 4500 every day.

Young adolescents aged 10–14 years have the lowest risk of death among all age groups.

Injuries (including road traffic injuries and drowning), interpersonal violence, self-harm and maternal conditions are the leading causes of death among adolescents and young adults.

Half of all mental health disorders in adulthood start by age 18, but most cases are undetected and untreated.

Early onset of substance use is associated with higher risks of developing dependence and other problems during adult life, and younger people are disproportionately affected by substance use compared with older people.

Globally, there were 42 births per 1000 to girls aged 15–19 years in 2021.

Survival chances for adolescents and young adults vary greatly across the world. In 2021, the average probability of a 10-year-old dying before age 24 was about 6 times higher in sub-Saharan Africa than in North America and Europe.

Within the age group 10–24 years, mortality rates are lowest among adolescents aged 10–14, and highest among young adults aged 20–24 years. Females generally have lower mortality rates for these ages than males.

The patterns of death of 10–14-year-olds are dominated by infectious diseases. Among older adolescents and young adults, a shift away from infectious diseases of childhood is seen, towards accidents and injuries, self-harm and interpersonal violence. Sex differences in mortality rates also become apparent in adolescence.

Many unintentional injuries such as road traffic and drowning are the leading cause of death and disability among adolescents.

Road traffic accidents In 2021, over 100 000 adolescents (10–19 years) died from road traffic accidents . Many of those who died were vulnerable road users, including pedestrians, cyclists or users of motorized two-wheelers. Injuries and violence fact sheet

Drowning Drowning is also among the top causes of death among adolescents; more than 40 000 adolescents, over three quarters of them boys, are estimated to have drowned in 2021. Drowning fact sheet