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Translating infant sleep research to culturally accessible policy and practices to address SIDS and SUID in high-risk communities
Objectives. Demonstrate how changes in prevention policy and messaging impacted SIDS rates for high-risk New Zealand infants; identify implications for US SIDS disparities; present results from translating approaches to US.
Methods. Compare US—New Zealand SIDS rates and prevention policy initiatives. Examine adaptation of translational messages in US.
Results. Disparities in SIDS rates between White and African American infants (.90 vs. 1.90/1,000 live births, respectively) and non-Māori and Māori infants (1.30 vs 6.9 /1,000 live births, respectively) remained after initial national back to sleep campaigns. This disparity decreased in New Zealand (.70 non-Māori vs. 4.60 Māori deaths/1,000 live births) following implementation of the Māori Prevention Program—a culturally-sensitive prevention message delivered by community women similar to the US Safe to Sleep campaign. New Zealand introduced additional policy strategies addressing the remaining disparity. Following implementation of a Safe-Sleep Blitz focused on infant breathing and arousal response, infant mortality for Māori infants decreased (5.09 to 4.55/1,000 live births). Use of portable sleep spaces for high-risk infants was associated with no infant deaths. Mothers’ reported sleep spaces supported responsive care and breastfeeding. Both policies have been adapted for use in the US—distribution underway.
Conclusions. New Zealand policy initiatives provide a framework beyond the Safe to Sleep campaign to address high SIDS risk for African American infants.
Learning Areas:
Administer health education strategies, interventions and programsBasic medical science applied in public health
Diversity and culture
Epidemiology
Implementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs
Learning Objectives:
Identify the physiology associated with infant sleep safety based on the Triple Risk Model.
Compare policy initiatives associated with decreasing risk of SIDS events for New Zealand infants at high risk of SIDS or SUDI with current US policy initiatives.
Describe the need for adapting and evaluating effectiveness of SIDS and SUID prevention programs focused on physiological sources of risk adaptable across sleep practices and cultural preferences.
Keyword(s): African American, Infant Mortality
Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have completed research on safe infant sleep practices in New Zealand, Australia, and the United States. I am principal investigator on a submitted proposal regarding safe infant sleep prevention intervention programming submitted as an R15 proposal. I have published in the area of safe infant sleep and translation of research to best practice messaging.
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.