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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Bonnie Taylor, PhD, Office of Injury Prevention, New Mexico Department of Health, 2500 Cerrillos Road, Santa Fe, NM 87505, 5054767833, bonniej.taylor@state.nm.us

Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is reported to have been decreasing nationally since the introduction of the ‘Back to Sleep' campaign (1994 to present). New Mexico Vital Records and Health Statistics data also show a decreasing trend in SIDS over the same time period. This study utilizes birth and death records, child fatality review data, and Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System data to examine and describe New Mexico sleep-related infant deaths (156 deaths, 1997-2003). National Infant Sleep Position Study data describing infant sleep position and SIDS mortality are used to calculate a rate of death for SIDS and other factors related to infant sleep environment using simultaneous linear equations and least squares (residual) methods. These calculated SIDS rates by sleep position range from 0.3 to 2.2 per 1000 live births. New Mexico rates of death by sleep position for SIDS and other factors related to infant sleep environment range from 0 to 2.4 per 1000 live births. State rates are compared for similarity and difference with national rates. Inconsistencies between the observed annual numbers of SIDS deaths for the state and the expected numbers for SIDS deaths given infant sleep position are noted. Sleep-related infant deaths are examined for the state overall and for demographic subgroups disparate in terms of death rate. The challenges to interpreting the impact of safe sleep prevention messages in the context of death scene investigation changes, diagnosis guideline changes, International Classification of Diseases code changes, recorder bias, and other prevention campaigns are addressed.

Learning Objectives:

• Recognize the difference between the terms ‘sleep-related infant death’ and ‘SIDS death’
• Describe how rates of death for SIDS and other infant sleep environment factors differ by sleep position
• Identify at least two challenges to interpreting the association of infant sleep position with SIDS deaths

Keywords: SIDS, Prevention

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Not Answered