Minnesota

Please be sure to read the data notes & limitations page. This explains many aspects of these comments, including how only changes over time can be discussed as statistically significant, and why the comparisons with national rates discuss data for selected subgroups.

Overview of Findings

Findings for Minnesota were limited to mortality objectives and were generally encouraging. Rates of overall mortality decreased among younger and older adolescents, as did the rate of motor vehicle crash mortality. Rates were flat for overall mortality among young adults and for suicide.

Minnesota rates compared favorably to national rates for overall mortality among older adolescents and young adults and for motor vehicle mortality. There was little difference for overall mortality among younger adolescents. Minnesota’s suicide rate was higher than the national rate.

Highlights of Findings by Objective

Jump To: Mortality; Unintentional Injury; Violence; Substance Use and Mental Health; Reproductive Health; Chronic Disease Prevention

Mortality

The rate of overall mortality in Minnesota declined from baseline for younger and older adolescents; the rate was flat for young adults. Declines occurred among all subgroups, with data suggesting a substantial decrease among Black older adolescents, especially Black males. In 2007, males had much higher rates than females among older adolescents and young adults; rates were roughly matching among younger adolescents. Among young adults, Blacks had more than twice the rate of Whites.

Comparison with national data. As in Minnesota, national mortality rates decreased for younger and older adolescents; the national increase in mortality for young adults contrasts with a flat rate in Minnesota. In 2007, the Minnesota mortality rates were lower than national rates, overall and for most subgroups; a notable exception was a slightly higher rate among Black young adults in Minnesota compared to the national rate for that group. The national gender patterns roughly matched the pattern noted for Minnesota. Also similar to Minnesota, Black young adults had a higher mortality rate than Whites nationally; however this difference was much smaller nationally than in Minnesota.

Unintentional Injury

(motor vehicle crashes)

Adolescent mortality in Minnesota due to motor vehicle crashes was largely flat from baseline, with small differences among subgroups. A moderate increase among males was largely offset by a decrease among females; similarly, a small increase among young adults was offset by a decrease among adolescents. In 2007, males had twice the rate of females.

Comparison with national data. The national motor vehicle crash mortality rate was also flat from baseline. Unlike Minnesota, this pattern varied little by age group and gender. In 2007, Minnesota’s rate of motor vehicle crash mortality was lower than the national rate. As in Minnesota, males had a higher rate than females; this gender difference was smaller in Minnesota than nationally.

Violence

(homicide)

Adolescent homicide rates were based on fewer than 20 deaths and were thus unsuitable for analyses.

Substance Abuse and Mental Health

(suicide)

The suicide rate in Minnesota among older adolescents was essentially flat from baseline. Rates for most subgroups were based on fewer than 20 deaths. Because these rates were unsuitable for analyses, no subgroup comparisons could be made.

Comparison with national data. The national suicide rate was also fairly flat from baseline. In 2007, the suicide rate in Minnesota was slightly higher than the national rate.

Additional data may be available at: http://www.health.state.mn.us/youth/pubs.html