This presentation will address the successful collaborative efforts made by a local health department to significantly reduce infant deaths due to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) in one of the largest and diverse cities in California. SIDS is the leading cause of death among infants in the post neonatal period and accounted for a rate of 28.6 (8,147) in the U.S. in 1996. With the initiation of the "Back to Sleep Campaign" in 1992 and with support from the California SIDS Program, public health nursing coordinated efforts to decrease SIDS in this jurisdiction. Collaborative partners included after 1995 were department programs such as perinatal outreach and education, prenatal, family planning, African American Infant Health, child health, and immunizations as well as four major city hospitals and two high schools. Discussion will include linkages and educational outreach developed and initiated in accordance with the greatest maternal and infant risk factors. The public health nursing advocacy role in the State of California along with the passage of Assembly Bill 757, which addresses the distinctive age distribution of SIDS victims, prompted a community wide hospital collaboration. The many proactive roles the collaborative undertook, such as reducing the significant risk factor of smoking will be reviewed. These collaborative efforts have shown a 51% reduction in SIDS deaths in this jurisdiction when 5 year average rates are compared before and after 1995.
Learning Objectives: 1. Describe rationale for developing collaborative efforts in order to reduce the incidence of SIDS 2. Identify roles of public health nursing in reducing the incidence of SIDS 3. Articulate the steps of selecting and maintaining community collaborative partners
Keywords: Infant Mortality, Outreach Programs
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.