Interpersonal violence and gender inequality in adolescents: a systematic analysis of Global Burden of Disease data from 1990 to 2019
File(s)
Published version
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Purpose
Interpersonal violence is a leading cause of adolescent deaths and disability. This study investigates sex differences in burden of interpersonal violence for adolescents and explores associations with gender inequality.
Method
Using data from the 2019 Global Burden of Disease study, we report numbers, proportions, rates of interpersonal violence deaths and disability adjusted life years (DALYs) for all ages, and rate of change (from 1990 to 2019) in adolescents aged 10–24 years disaggregated by sex and geography. We explored associations with gender inequality using gender inequality index.
Results
One in four (24.8%) all-age interpersonal violence deaths are in adolescents. In 2019, the rate of deaths in adolescent males was almost six times higher than females (9.3 vs. 1.6 per 100,000); and since 1990, the rate of decline in DALYs for females was double than that for males (−28.9% vs. −12.7%). By contrast, the burden of sexual violence is disproportionately borne by adolescent females, with over double the rate than males (DALYs: 42.8 vs. 17.5 per 100,000). In countries with greater gender inequality, the male-to-female ratio (deaths and DALYs) was increased among older adolescents, pointing to benefits for males in more gender equal settings.
Discussion
Social identities, relationships, and attitudes to violence are established in adolescence, which is an inflection point marking the emergence of disproportionate burdens of interpersonal violence. Our findings affirm that global agendas must be expanded to address interrelated factors driving multiple forms of interpersonal violence experienced by adolescents and reverberating to the next generation.
Interpersonal violence is a leading cause of adolescent deaths and disability. This study investigates sex differences in burden of interpersonal violence for adolescents and explores associations with gender inequality.
Method
Using data from the 2019 Global Burden of Disease study, we report numbers, proportions, rates of interpersonal violence deaths and disability adjusted life years (DALYs) for all ages, and rate of change (from 1990 to 2019) in adolescents aged 10–24 years disaggregated by sex and geography. We explored associations with gender inequality using gender inequality index.
Results
One in four (24.8%) all-age interpersonal violence deaths are in adolescents. In 2019, the rate of deaths in adolescent males was almost six times higher than females (9.3 vs. 1.6 per 100,000); and since 1990, the rate of decline in DALYs for females was double than that for males (−28.9% vs. −12.7%). By contrast, the burden of sexual violence is disproportionately borne by adolescent females, with over double the rate than males (DALYs: 42.8 vs. 17.5 per 100,000). In countries with greater gender inequality, the male-to-female ratio (deaths and DALYs) was increased among older adolescents, pointing to benefits for males in more gender equal settings.
Discussion
Social identities, relationships, and attitudes to violence are established in adolescence, which is an inflection point marking the emergence of disproportionate burdens of interpersonal violence. Our findings affirm that global agendas must be expanded to address interrelated factors driving multiple forms of interpersonal violence experienced by adolescents and reverberating to the next generation.
Date Issued
2024-02-01
Date Acceptance
2023-08-28
Citation
Journal of Adolescent Health, 2024, 74 (2), pp.232-245
ISSN
1054-139X
Publisher
Elsevier
Start Page
232
End Page
245
Journal / Book Title
Journal of Adolescent Health
Volume
74
Issue
2
Copyright Statement
© 2023 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http:// creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
License URL
Identifier
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/37988041
PII: S1054-139X(23)00457-3
Subjects
Adolescence
BEHAVIOR
Firearm
Gender inequality
GIRLS
HEALTH
INCOME
Injury
Interpersonal violence
Life Sciences & Biomedicine
MEN
Pediatrics
Prevention
PREVENTION
Psychology
Psychology, Developmental
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
RISK
Science & Technology
Sexual violence
Social Sciences
Sustainable development goals
Violence
WOMEN
Publication Status
Published
Coverage Spatial
United States
Date Publish Online
2023-11-21