232022 Acting on what we know: Using the Child Death Review process to improve SUID investigations

Tuesday, November 9, 2010 : 11:10 AM - 11:30 AM

Theresa Covington, MPH , National Center for Child Death Review, Michigan Public Health Institute, Washington, DC
The CDC's new SUID Case Registry Project is using child death review teams and an expanded version of the National CDR Case Reporting system to collect comprehensive data on sudden and unexplained infant deaths in five pilot states. The CDR process is proving effective in not only improving the collection of data from multiple sources on SUID circumstances, but in catalyzing local and state actions across the spectrum of investigation, diagnosis, services and prevention. All but one state in the US have local and/or state level reviews and most include both MCH and state injury prevention partners at the reviews. This session will describe examples of successful CDR reviews that have catalyzed significant changes in communities related to sudden and unexpected infant deaths; and provide examples wherein MCH and injury worked together to address SUID deaths in their states or communities. The session will describe the elements of successful case reviews and engage participants in a simulated case review to demonstrate how to move from a case review to action.

Learning Areas:
Conduct evaluation related to programs, research, and other areas of practice
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs

Learning Objectives:
1. Identify current Infant Safe Sleep Initiatives in the United States 2. Describe results of Child Death Reviews in 2005-2007on circumstances of sleep-related circumstances of more than 3000 sudden unexpected infant deaths. 3. Explain implications of Child Death Review results for need of improved death scene investigations, autopsies, and medical histories for reporting of medical examiners and coroners on causes of death.

Keywords: Maternal and Child Health, Injury Prevention

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have been providing technical assistance to state and local child death review teams for 12 years; developed and managed the Michigan CDR program for ten years and spent 15 years as a trainer on sudden and unexplained infant death investigation and helped develop the CDC national tool and curricula; served as board chair for Michigan SIDS Alliance for a year and three on the board.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.