Is it Time for a Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) Awareness Campaign? Community Stakeholders’ Perceptions of SIDS

ABSTRACT

Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) remains a leading cause of infant death in the United States, and in Virginia. We sought to gauge the perceptions among community-identified stakeholders regarding community resource needs to reduce SIDS. Snowball sampling identified important community stakeholders to be interviewed as key informants. A semi-structured interview was delivered to determine resource needs to reduce SIDS, and whether high-risk community members were aware of SIDS risk factors. Interviews were conducted in two geographic areas with higher than average rates of infant mortality: Winchester City, VA; Page County, VA. Seventy-four interviews were completed with stakeholders in healthcare, social services, and a variety of other organizations. The majority of respondents perceive that high-risk community members are not aware of factors that can lead to SIDS (50%). Participants suggested that more “education” is needed to further reduce SIDS rates in their communities (73%). Respondents detailed that more pervasive, strategic, and multi-channelled education is necessary to reduce cases of SIDS. Community leaders perceive that high-risk community members are not fully aware of risk factors that can lead to SIDS. Maternal/child health stakeholders in these Virginia locales suggested more community-based education as a potential solution.

KEYWORDS:

• Infant mortality
• sudden infant death syndrome
• stakeholders
• community-based participatory research

Notes on Contributors

Dr Audra Gollenberg is an Associate Professor of Public Health and has research interests and training in health disparities and reproductive epidemiology.

Dr Kim Fendley is an Associate Professor of Sociology and is a trained medical sociologist. She has research interests and training in community development and health disparities.

ORCID

Audra Gollenberg http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7542-0390

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development [grant number NIH R13 HD075496-03].