title: Improving infant sleep safety through a comprehensive hospital-based program.
abstract: We evaluated a comprehensive hospital-based infant safe sleep education program on parental education and safe sleep behaviors in the home using a cross-sectional survey of new parents at hospital discharge (HD) and 4-month follow-up (F/U). Knowledge and practices of infant safe sleep were compared to the National Infant Sleep Position Study benchmark. There were 1092 HD and 490 F/U surveys. Supine sleep knowledge was 99.8% at HD; 94.8% of families planned to always use this position. At F/U, 97.3% retained supine knowledge, and 84.9% maintained this position exclusively (P < .01). Knowledge of crib as safest surface was 99.8% at HD and 99.5% F/U. Use in the parents' room fell to 91.9% (HD) and 68.2% (F/U). Compared to the National Infant Sleep Position Study, the F/U group was more likely to use supine positioning and a bassinette or crib. Reinforcing the infant sleep safety message through intensive hospital-based education improves parental compliance with sudden infant death syndrome risk reduction guidelines.
authors: Pennsylvania State University, Hershey, PA, USA Department of Pediatrics, WellSpan York Hospital, York, PA, USA mgoodstein@wellspan.org.
authors: Michael H
authors: MH
authors: Goodstein
authors: Department of Pediatrics, WellSpan York Hospital, York, PA, USA.
authors: Theodore
authors: T
authors: Bell
authors: Department of Pediatrics, MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors: Scott D
authors: SD
authors: Krugman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006266:Health Education / Q000379:methods*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007224:Infant Care / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D010290:Parents / Q000193:education*; D015397:Program Evaluation / Q000379:methods; D012307:Risk Factors; D040242:Risk Reduction Behavior; D012890:Sleep; D013398:Sudden Infant Death / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016683:Supine Position; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: infant sleep safety; patient safety; public education; sudden infant death syndrome; sudden unexpected infant death