Hannah Turner

Dr. Francis

Fundamentals of Epidemiology

09 January 2020

Activity 1, Part 1 & 2

Activity Part 1:

- Fundamental Hypothesis: Placing a baby to sleep on their back decreases SIDs

- Operational Hypothesis: Placing an infant to sleep in the supine position decreases

the incidence of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDs) by
~71%

Goldstein, R. D., Trachtenberg, F. L., Sens, M. A., Harty, B. J., & Kinney, H. C. (2016, January 1).

Overall Postneonatal Mortality and Rates of SIDS. Retrieved from

https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/137/1/e20152298.

Activity Part 2:

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDs) is predominately caused by the sleep

environment and position of a child. Infants under the age of 12 months are most prone to

SID’s. With those being between one and four months at highest risk. Also, race and ethnicity

seem to play a factor in SID’s. Those being non-Hispanic Blacks and American Indian/Alaskan

Natives have higher rates of Sudden Infant Death syndrome than others. Rates in the United

States have drastically dropped since 1992 and 1999. The “Back to Sleep” campaign was

launched in 1994 to educate parents about the importance of placing a child to sleep on their

back. Since the campaigns launch in 1994 and up to 2010, the rate of children sleeping on their

backs has increased from 17% to 73% with the rate of infant mortality by SIDs dropping over

50%. But, the United States still seems to have some of the highest rates of Sudden Infant

Death syndrome when compared to other developed countries. New Zealand has been
discovered with the highest rates and the Netherlands being the lowest. With more parental

education, the rates will hopefully continue to drop.

https://www.ncemch.org/suid-sids/statistics/index.php.

https://www.ncemch.org/suid-sids/statistics/index.php

https://safetosleep.nichd.nih.gov/activities/SIDS/progress

Goldstein, R. D., Trachtenberg, F. L., Sens, M. A., Harty, B. J., & Kinney, H. C. (2016, January 1).

Overall Postneonatal Mortality and Rates of SIDS. Retrieved from

https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/137/1/e20152298.