Physician Practices Regarding SIDS in Kansas.

Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is the leading cause of death among infants aged 1 to 12 months. The purpose of this study was to assess prenatal and postnatal physicians' knowledge about SIDS in a county with high rates of SIDS deaths. A cross-sectional survey was conducted of pediatricians, family practitioners, and obstetricians in Sedgwick County, Kansas. Most physicians reported correctly that there were effective measures to reduce SIDS. Most respondents agreed it was important to discuss SIDS with parents. Pediatricians were more likely than family practitioners and obstetricians to recognize that pacifier use is important for infants in their first year to reduce SIDS and 2 to 4 months is the age range for peak incidence of SIDS. Pediatricians, family practitioners, and obstetricians are knowledgeable about SIDS and SIDS risk reduction. However, they are not allocating adequate time for discussing SIDS and SIDS reduction efforts with patients.

Infant Mortality and SIDS Perceptions Among Key Healthcare Professional Informants in Sedgwick County, KS.

INTRODUCTION: Sedgwick County, KS, has one of the highest infant mortality rates (IMR) in the USA, of which sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is a large component. The purpose of this study was to assess local key informants' awareness of the high IMR overall, their knowledge and beliefs about SIDS risk factors specifically, and their recommendations for ways to increase physician and community awareness of SIDS within Sedgwick County, KS. METHODS: Structured interviews were conducted with key informants from Sedgwick County, KS. RESULTS: Four themes emerged from key informant interviews: low level of awareness of infant mortality and SIDS, target population most at risk for SIDS/infant mortality, and barriers to and importance of SIDS education. Key informants were in consensus that there was a lack of general community awareness surrounding the high IMR in Sedgwick County. Strategies were identified to address this issue, including consistent SIDS education of medical providers and parents, social support to moms, use of social media, and involving the faith community in educating target populations about risk factors. CONCLUSIONS: Health and public health key informants provided an overall view of their perception of the SIDS problem in Sedgwick County, KS. Based on collected interviews, the consensus was there are significant problems within Sedgwick County around the issue of SIDS awareness (severity of the problem), SIDS risk, and barriers to increasing SIDS education among professional and community members. African-Americans were identified as the population with the highest infant mortality and SIDS rates in Sedgwick County by health and public health key informant participants. A concerted, educational approach was recommended as the best way forward to reduce SIDS risk within this community.