University of Alabama at Birmingham
Introduction: Sudden Unexpected Infant Death is the leading cause of death for infants one month to 12 months of age. In parts of the country, sleep-related death rates are increasing. Parents are more likely to follow safe sleep guidelines if a physician recommends them, or if they witness health care providers doing so in the hospital. Little is known about the knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of physicians who care for infants about infant safe sleep.
Methods: A cross-sectional survey was administered to physicians affiliated with an academic freestanding children’s hospital. The survey was adapted from a prior survey used to assess obstetric-gynecologists’ knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors on infant safe sleep. Knowledge scores were compared to attitude scores and behaviors to evaluate for correlation.
Results: 124 of 398 physicians invited responded for a response rate of 31%. Knowledge scores were higher in female physicians, those who had received prior safe sleep training, and those who cared for infants on a daily basis. Logistic regression models found that higher knowledge scores predicted more positive attitudes and more counseling provided to parents on safe sleep.
Discussion: Undergoing safe sleep training was associated with more knowledge about safe sleep, which in turn influenced positive attitudes about safe sleep education and increased behaviors of counseling on safe sleep. Given that parents and caretakers are more likely to follow safe sleep recommendations if health care providers provide education and modeling, physicians should undergo safe sleep training as an effort to reduce sleep-related deaths in our country.
