UNSPECIFIED. (1993) EVALUATION OF ATTEMPTED PREVENTION OF UNEXPECTED INFANT DEATH IN VERY HIGH-RISK INFANTS BY PLANNED HEALTH-CARE. ACTA PAEDIATRICA, 82 (1). pp. 83-86. ISSN 0803-5253

Abstract

Three hundred and ninety-six babies born in Sheffield between 1982 and 1990 identified as being at ''very high risk'' of unexpected infant death by means of a scoring system, received an intensive programme of health care including a case discussion between a paediatrician, the GP and the health visitor held in the family doctor's surgery, weekly visits from the health visitor and informal hospital admission. Significantly fewer sudden unexpected infant deaths occurred in this group than were expected by logistic regression anlysis or occurred in the best available control group with comparable scores (p = 0.024). Problems in evaluation include identification of an adequate control population, ethical difficulties in introducing a controlled study when the programme is already perceived as effective, and the calculation of ''expected death rates''. The results of this study indicate that very energetic programmes of intervention may prevent some deaths in vulnerable infants.

Data sourced from Thomson Reuters' Web of Knowledge

Request changes to a record

Actions (login required)

View Item