A study of homicides in children under five years old was conducted in
order to define the mortality panorama by this cause during 1979-1990
in Mexico. Trends of homicide mortality were analyzed, as well as the
main causes by age and sex. Rate ratio (RR) by cause and sex were ana
lized too. The variables were age, sex, year and external cause of int
entional injuries which were analyzed according to the International C
lassification of Diseases, 9th Revision E960-E969. The total number of
deaths due to homicide were 2 939. Each day one children under five y
ears of age died in Mexico due to homicide. The trend of homicide is b
= 0.126. Thirty per cent of deaths occurred in children under one year
old. Boys were most affected than girls in the causes by age: strangu
lation < 1 year old RR 21, confidence interval (CI) 15-30; fire arm in
two years old children RR 3.1 CI 2.0-5.7; drowning in three years old
children RR 2.6 CI 1.7-4.8 and assault by other and unspecified means
. Further research in the area and prevention should involve the use o
f a multidisciplinary approach in considering the multiple causes and
solutions to this problem.