Messaging Affects the Behavior of African American Parents with Regards to Soft Bedding in the Infant Sleep Environment: A Randomized Controlled Trial.
To evaluate the impact of specific health messages on the decisions of African American parents regarding soft bedding use, specifically related to the high degree of self-efficacy that African American parents have with regards to preventing infant suffocation vs low self-efficacy with regards to sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) risk reduction.



We conducted a randomized, controlled clinical trial of African American mothers of infants. The control group received standard messaging emphasizing safe sleep practices recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics for the purposes of SIDS risk reduction. The intervention group received enhanced messaging emphasizing safe sleep practices for both SIDS risk reduction and suffocation prevention. Participants completed interviews at 2-3 weeks, 2-3 months, and 5-6 months after the infant's birth.



Of 1194 mothers enrolled, 637 completed all interviews. The use of soft bedding both in the past week and last night declined with age (P < .001). Infants in the enhanced group had a lower rate of use of soft bedding in the past week (P = .006) and last night (P = .013). Mothers who received the enhanced message were more likely to state that they avoided soft bedding to protect their infant from suffocation.



African American mothers who receive an enhanced message about SIDS risk reduction and suffocation prevention are less likely to use soft bedding in their infant's sleep environment.



ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01361880.
Division of General Pediatrics and Community Health, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC.
Anita
A
Mathews
Division of General Pediatrics and Community Health, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC.
Brandi L
BL
Joyner
Division of General Pediatrics and Community Health, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC.
Rosalind P
RP
Oden
Center for Translational Science, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC.
Jianping
J
He
Center for Translational Science, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC; Department of Pediatrics, George Washington University, Washington, DC.
Robert
R
McCarter
Division of General Pediatrics and Community Health, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC; Center for Translational Science, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC; Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Washington, DC. Electronic address: rym4z@virginia.edu.
Rachel Y
RY
Moon
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology*; D001237:Asphyxia / Q000208:ethnology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D001512:Bedding and Linens; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006266:Health Education / Q000379:methods*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice / Q000208:ethnology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007224:Infant Care / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods* / Q000523:psychology; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008425:Maternal Behavior; D016487:Parenting; D020377:Self Efficacy; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D013398:Sudden Infant Death / Q000208:ethnology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D055815:Young Adult
SIDS; bedding; infant mortality; self-efficacy; suffocation