Preventing Sudden Unexpected Deaths in Infancy (SUDI): an assessment and planning tool for families at increased risk
What is the research question?
How does a risk scoring and planning tool support safer infant sleep during disrupted routines for infants at increased risk of Sudden and Unexpected Deaths in Infancy (SUDI)?
What is the problem?
Every year in the UK, about 3-400 babies die suddenly and unexpectedly. Many of these deaths could be avoided by following safer sleep advice, widely promoted but difficult to follow for some families. Most of the babies who now die, are born to mothers under 25 in the most socially deprived groups. Bereaved families tell us the risks were often a result of a change in their normal routine when caring for the baby, for example when people visit, having a party, or when staying away from home. Our research suggests that understanding their baby’s own level of risk and planning for safety during changes to the routine could save lives. The risk scoring and planning tool we propose here includes providing information on a website and to their phones about their baby’s risk in certain situations and planning for safety during busy times.
What is the aim of the research?
To develop a ‘risk scoring and planning tool’ for families to encourage safer sleep for babies at increased risk of SUDI.
How will this be achieved?
We will develop a tool from information we already know has saved many babies’ lives and check this works using information on current deaths of babies in England and from similar work being conducted in New Zealand. Health visitors, family nurses and especially parents will be invited to workshops where they will help us design the tool. It will show parents/carers how the risks to their baby change across different situations. They will be able to plan ahead for changes in routine to keep the baby safe. A picture of the plan will be sent to the parent/carer’s mobile phone, that they can share with others, for example their partner. We will test this tool out with health visitors, and family nurses to find out how it works in detail. We will give the tool to three teams of health visitors and family nurses who work with families in deprived areas of Bristol, UK. Interviews with them and family members will find out what they think of it and how they use it. Finally, we will write an application for a study to see how we can test the tool with more people.
Who is leading the research?
Dr Anna Pease, NIHR Advanced Fellow, Centre for Academic Child Health, University of Bristol.
Further information:
For more information or to get involved in this project, please contact bnssg.research@nhs.net.