title: Evaluation of bedtime basics for babies: a national crib distribution program to reduce the risk of sleep-related sudden infant deaths.
abstract: Rates of sleep-related infant deaths have remained stagnant in recent years. Although most parents are aware of safe sleep recommendations, barriers to adherence, including lack of access to a safe crib, remain. The objective of this study was to describe parental knowledge and practices regarding infant sleep position, bedsharing, pacifier use, and feeding practices before and after receipt of a free crib and safe sleep education. Bedtime Basics for Babies (BBB) enrolled high-risk families in Washington, Indiana, and Washington, DC and provided them with cribs and safe sleep education. Parents completed surveys before ("prenatal" and "postnatal") and 1-3 months after crib receipt ("follow-up"). Descriptive and bivariate analyses were completed. 3,303 prenatal, 1,483 postnatal, and 1,729 follow-up surveys were collected. Parental knowledge of recommended infant sleep position improved from 76% (prenatal) and 77% (postnatal) to 94% after crib receipt (p < 0.001). Intended use of supine positioning increased from 84% (prenatal) and 80% (postnatal) to 87% after the intervention (p < 0.001). Although only 8% of parents intended to bedshare when asked prenatally, 38% of parents receiving the crib after the infant's birth reported that they had bedshared the night before. This decreased to 16% after the intervention. Ninety percent reported that the baby slept in a crib after the intervention, compared with 51% postnatally (p < 0.01). BBB was successful in changing knowledge and practices in the majority of high-risk participants with regards to placing the infant supine in a crib for sleep. Crib distribution and safe sleep education positively influence knowledge and practices about safe sleep.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, University of Virginia, PO Box 800729, Charlottesville, VA, 22908-0729, USA, frh8e@virginia.edu.
authors.forename: Fern R
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: Hauck
authors.forename: Kawai O
authors.initials: KO
authors.lastname: Tanabe
authors.forename: Timothy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: McMurry
authors.forename: Rachel Y
authors.initials: RY
authors.lastname: Moon
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education / Q000458:organization & administration*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D015370:Infant Equipment / Q000592:standards*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D010290:Parents / Q000193:education*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013398:Sudden Infant Death / Q000517:prevention & control*