Assessment of women’s knowledge about Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) following SIDS Prevention Campaign, Lugansk oblast, Ukraine

To raise the awareness level among the general population, JSI and the Ministry of Health of Ukraine prepared and conducted a SIDS Prevention Campaign called “Back to Sleep”. The campaign was aimed at reducing SIDS through a number of BCC interventions among pediatricians, nurses, other providers, and social services/education volunteers in all rayons (districts) of Lugansk oblast of Ukraine. Health providers and volunteers were taught 3 key messages such as: (1) safe sleeping position for infants (back to sleep position), (2) non-smoking environment for infants and (3) optimal ambient temperature in the place where infants sleep (20-22C). All three messages were communicated to mothers of children under one year of age during the week campaign in health care settings, in public places and via TV/radio outlets.

To evaluate the impact of this Campaign in Lugansk oblast the assessment was designed to assess SIDS prevention knowledge among women clients of pediatric polyclinics who have infants under one year of age. The assessment was conducted in a random sample of pediatric facilities in Lugansk (SIDS Campaign) oblast and in Vinnitsa oblast (control oblast).

The findings demonstrate that, 85.3% of women in Lugansk reported that the best sleeping position for their babies was on their backs versus 23.2% in the control group. Most women in the control oblast (67.4%) considered the optimal sleep position on the side and the stomach versus 11.9% in Lugansk that by 55.5% higher compared to the control oblast (p<.000).