Orphanhood and caregiver death among children in the United States due to all-cause mortality 2000-2021: A Modeling Study
Authors: Villaveces Andrés , Chen Yu , Tucker Sydney , Blenkinsop Alexandra , Cluver Lucie , Sherr Lorraine , Losby Jan L. , Graves Linden , Noonan Rita , Annor Francis , Kojey-Merle Victor , Wang Douhan , Massetti Greta , Rawlins Laura , Nelson Charles A. , Unwin H Juliette T , Flaxman Seth , Hillis Susan , Ratmann Oliver 
Published: March 2024

Importance

Deaths of parents and grandparent caregivers linked to social and health crises threaten child wellbeing due to losses of nurturance, financial support, physical safety, family stability, and care. Little is known about the full burden of all-causes and leading cause-specific orphanhood and caregiver death beyond estimates from select causes.

Objective

To estimate 2000-2021 prevalence and incidence trends of all-cause orphanhood and caregiver death among children <18, by cause, age, race/ethnicity, and state.

Data Sources

National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) birth, death, race/ethnicity, and population data to estimate fertility rates and identify causes of death; 1983-1998 ICD-9 causes-of-death harmonized to ICD-10 classifications; 1999-2021 ICD-10 causes-of-death; CDC WONDER for state-specific estimates; and American Community Survey for grandparent population estimates.

Data extraction and synthesis

We extracted U.S. population-level death, birth, population size, race, and ethnicity data from NCHS and attributed to each deceased individual the average number of children left behind according to subgroup-specific fertility rates in the previous 0-17 years. We examined prevalence and incidence of orphanhood by leading causes-of-death, including COVID-19, the leading 5 causes-of-death for 1983-2021, and additional leading causes for ages 15-44. We extended these to obtain state-level outcome estimates.

Main outcome measures

National incidence and prevalence of orphanhood and caregiver death from 2000-2021, with orphanhood by year, parental cause-of-death and sex, child age, race/ethnicity, and state.

Results

From 2000-2021, orphanhood and custodial/co-residing grandparent caregiver loss annual incidence and prevalence trends increased 49.2% and 8.3%, respectively. By 2021, 2.9 million children (4% of all children) had experienced prevalent orphanhood and caregiver death. Populations disproportionately affected by orphanhood included 5.0% of all adolescents; 6.5%, 4.8%, and 3.9% respectively of non-Hispanic American Indian/Alaska Native, non-Hispanic Black, and non-Hispanic White children; and children in New Mexico and Southern and Eastern States. Parental death due to drug overdose during 2020-2021 surpassed COVID-19 as the leading cause of incident and prevalent orphanhood during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Conclusions and Relevance

Policies, programs, and practices aimed at orphanhood prevention, identification, and linkage to services and support of nearly 3 million bereaved children are needed, foremost prioritizing rapidly increasing overdose-linked orphanhood.

Key Point

Question: What are U.S. trends in all-cause and cause-specific orphanhood and caregiver death among children <18?

Findings: From 2000-2021, orphanhood and caregiver loss incidence and prevalence increased 49.2% and 8.3%, respectively. By 2021, 2.9 million children (4% of all children) were affected. Populations disproportionately affected by orphanhood included 1.7 million adolescents ages 10-17; 6.5%, 4.8%, and 3.9% respectively of non-Hispanic American Indian/Alaska Native, non-Hispanic Black, and non-Hispanic White children; and children in New Mexico, Southern and Eastern States. Drug overdose was the leading cause of orphanhood during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Meaning: Evidence-based programs and policies are needed to prevent orphanhood and support these bereaved children.