ASSESSMENT OF MOTHERS’ KNOWLEDGE AND PRACTICESABOUT THE PREVENTION OF SUDDEN INFANT DEATH SYNDROME

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Faculty of Nursing, Mansoura University, Egypt

2 Faculty of medicine, kafrelsheikh University

Abstract

Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is a common cause of infant mortality below
one year, and its causes remain unknown. However, simple protective practices in infant
sleep and sleep environment can dramatically reduce its incidence. Aim: Assess the
mothers’ knowledge and practices for the prevention of SIDS. Method:Descriptive
research was conducted in postnatal department at general hospital in Kafrelsheikh city,
Egypt, on 180 newly delivered mothers, free from eclampsia, chronic diseases and a
delivered baby didn’t have health problem as neonatal jaundice or respiratory distress
syndrome. Interview questionnaire sheet was used to collect data about characteristics of
mothers and their infant; mothers’ knowledge and practices about SIDS. Results:More
than three-quarters of mothers (85.00%) had poor knowledge level comared to only 10.6%
and 4.4% of them had average and good knowledge level about SIDS. Besides, about half
of the studied mothers (44.4%) were unsatisfactory about SIDS. Conclusion: More than
three-quarters of the mothers didn’t hear about SIDS and had poor knowledge level about
SIDS. In addition, about half of the mothers demonstrated an unsatisfactory practice level
about SIDS prevention. Furthermore, there was a significant positive correlation between
the studied mothers’ total score of knowledge and reported practicesRecommendation: A
regular health education program should be done by a pediatric nurse in the neonatal care
unit and on every health visit for the infant in his first year for improving the newly
delivered mothers’ knowledge and practices regarding SIDS prevention and safe sleep < br />recommendations.

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