Interpretation of recent sudden infant death syndrome rates in Western Australia.
The diagnosis of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) has undergone several changes in definition since first being recognised as a cause of death. Linked total population data from Western Australia enable investigations to determine changes in classifications of mortality for the infants of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal mothers (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are referred to throughout this report as 'Aboriginal'). Data for recent years show a shift away from a classification of 'SIDS' towards a classification of 'unascertainable', particularly for Aboriginal infants. This has implications for the accurate translation of data into policy and practice.
Freemantle
C J
CJ
Telethon Institute for Child Health Research, and Centre for Child Health Research, University of Western Australia. janef@ichr.uwa.edu.au
Read
A W
AW
de Klerk
N H
NH
Charles
A K
AK
McAullay
D
D
Stanley
F J
FJ
D002423:Cause of Death; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007226:Infant Mortality / Q000639:trends*; D011159:Population Surveillance; D012307:Risk Factors; D013398:Sudden Infant Death / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology; D014904:Western Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D000095283:Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples