Awareness of sudden infant death syndrome risk factors among mothers of Pacific infants in New Zealand.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the awareness of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) risk factors among mothers of Pacific infants in New Zealand.


METHODS
The data were gathered as part of the Pacific Islands Families Study in which 1376 mothers were interviewed when their infants were six weeks old. Included in this interview were questions designed to examine the mothers' awareness of SIDS risk factors.


RESULTS
Over one third (38.8%) of mothers were unable to accurately report a SIDS risk factor, 53.4% reported the risk associated with putting the baby to sleep in a prone position, 31.5% maternal smoking, and 19.5% correctly reported other SIDS risk factors. Lack of awareness of SIDS risk factors was significantly associated with Samoan and Cook Islands Maori ethnicity, being Pacific Islands born, having no post school qualifications, lower household income, not being fluent in English, having more than five children, and not attending antenatal classes.


CONCLUSIONS
Despite SIDS prevention efforts, a considerable number of mothers in this cohort reported no awareness of SIDS risk factors. More effective methods are needed to provide consistent SIDS prevention information across Pacific ethnic groups.
Paterson
Janis
J
Faculty of Health Studies, Auckland University of Technology. janis.paterson@aut.ac.nz
Tukuitonga
Colin
C
Butler
Sarnia
S
Williams
Maynard
M
D000328:Adult; D001364:Awareness; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008429:Maternal Welfare; D009520:New Zealand; D010139:Pacific Islands / Q000208:ethnology; D010298:Parity; D012307:Risk Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013398:Sudden Infant Death / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control