Transferring partnership-building strategies from Mississippi to Arkansas to reduce sleep infant deaths

In an effort address the disparity in SIDS rates affecting African American communities Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development developed an outreach project culturally-tailored to African Americans as part of the original “Back to Sleep” campaign. The Mississippi SIDS African American Outreach Project focused on the development of mutual respect between partners, as well as understanding the partner’s roles, in promoting safe infant sleep activities.  The purpose of this project was to utilize partnerships to expand and improve coordination and delivery of SIDS risk-reduction information to pregnant and parenting women; and to educate and engage communities in ways to improve infant health outcomes. There were 128 mini-grants awarded to community-/faith-based organizations from 2006 through 2012.  During these years, number of SIDS deaths declined and the racial disparity between white and African American infant deaths decreased.  The number of SIDS deaths in Mississippi dropped 35% from 2006 to 2009 and declined by 50%, from 42 deaths in 2011 to 21 deaths in 2012 (MS Vital Statistics, 2010, 2012).  In 2006, there were 34 African American and 24 white babies to die from SIDS compared to in 2012, 11 African American babies and 9 white babies to die from SIDS.  It can be inferred, the project made a difference.  In an effort to duplicate the project's success, partnerhip activities are now being duplicated in Arkansas.  Partnership outreach strategies are being tailored to fit the unique characteristics of Arkansas disseminate statewide safe infant sleep messages across communities.