Do educational materials change knowledge and behaviour about crying and shaken baby syndrome? A randomized controlled trial.
BACKGROUND
Shaken baby syndrome often occurs after shaking in response to crying bouts. We questioned whether the use of the educational materials from the Period of PURPLE Crying program would change maternal knowledge and behaviour related to shaking.


METHODS
We performed a randomized controlled trial in which 1279 mothers received materials from the Period of PURPLE Crying program or control materials during a home visit by a nurse by 2 weeks after the birth of their child. At 5 weeks, the mothers completed a diary to record their behaviour and their infants' behaviour. Two months after giving birth, the mothers completed a telephone survey to assess their knowledge and behaviour.


RESULTS
The mean score (range 0-100 points) for knowledge about infant crying was greater among mothers who received the PURPLE materials (63.8 points) than among mothers who received the control materials (58.4 points) (difference 5.4 points, 95% confidence interval [CI] 4.1 to 6.5 points). The mean scores were similar for both groups for shaking knowledge and reported maternal responses to crying, inconsolable crying and self-talk responses. Compared with mothers who received control materials, mothers who received the PURPLE materials reported sharing information about walking away if frustrated more often (51.5% v. 38.5%, difference 13.0%, 95% CI 6.9% to 19.2%), the dangers of shaking (49.3% v. 36.4%, difference 12.9%, 95% CI 6.8% to 19.0%), and infant crying (67.6% v. 60.0%, difference 7.6%, 95% CI 1.7% to 13.5%). Walking away during inconsolable crying was significantly higher among mothers who received the PURPLE materials than among those who received control materials (0.067 v. 0.039 events per day, rate ratio 1.7, 95% CI 1.1 to 2.6).


CONCLUSIONS
The receipt of the Period of PURPLE Crying materials led to higher maternal scores for knowledge about infant crying and for some behaviours considered to be important for the prevention of shaking.
Barr
Ronald G
RG
Centre for Community Child Health Research, Child and Family Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC.
Barr
Marilyn
M
Fujiwara
Takeo
T
Conway
Jocelyn
J
Catherine
Nicole
N
Brant
Rollin
R
D000328:Adult; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D003448:Crying; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006266:Health Education / Q000458:organization & administration; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008425:Maternal Behavior; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D011336:Probability; D016730:Program Development; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012016:Reference Values; D012307:Risk Factors; D038642:Shaken Baby Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013664:Teaching Materials / Q000600:supply & distribution*