NUR212 REDUCING THE RISK OF SUDDEN UNEXPECTED DEATH IN INFANCY

Identify and discuss health policies that apply to the topic. (This requires approximately 600 words and is to be supported with evidence and in-text referencing).

Sudden unexpected death in infancy primarily known as SIDS has been a massive problem in Australia particularly in the cases of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families. Therefore, Australia has been at the forefront for conducting multiple researches regarding the causes and preventions of SUDI internationally. For example, Australia has been known for the provision of the data which suggested that unsuitable sleeping positions such as face-down position has been among one of the most leading causes of unexpected infant deaths (Byard 2001). However, despite being the current fore runner in this field of knowledge, it was not until 1969 when the issue of SIDS was taken as a serious medical or health issue in Australia (Ellis. L and Freemantle. J, 2018).  

Through a large-scale epidemiological study worldwide, four factors were identified to be among the most critical causes for SUDS i.e. infant, parental, socio-economic and environmental (Grant. B and Hasin. D, 2016). Factors in the infant category included issues such as low birth weight, prematurity, multiple births, neonatal health problems along with others. For instance, the number mortality rates peaked with 60 percent male babies of 4 to 6 months of age. The next and the most essential factor is the parental factor in which the use of constant alcohol and illicit drug abuse, use of cigarettes during the course of pregnancy as well as post pregnancy, depression along with poor delayed antenatal care are considered to be extremely dangerous. In addition to that, other socio-economic and environmental factors such as lower occupational status, lower educational attainment along with the improper space and bedding provided for infants sleeping have also been proved to be quite dangerous (Appiah. L, Andreozzi. L and Lester. B, 2004). 

Hence, to combat this massive problem, Australia rolled out a number of polices which have been quite successful over the years and the rates of deaths from SIDS has decreased from 200 infant deaths per 100,000 live births in 1986 to 50 death per 100,000 in 2010 (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2012). 

The first policy that achieved the fastest positive outcome in prevention of SIDS was the compulsory delivery of six sleeping messages to every agency related to health and social services in Western Australia known as the Reduce the Risk campaign (Ellis. L and Freemantle. J, 2018). The messages in the campaign were directed toward of suitable sleeping positions such as putting the baby to sleep on the back and uncovered face and hands, use of breastfeeding, providing a safe and smoke free environment along with a separate sleeping place for minimum 1 year. The implementation of the policy led to a 40 percent decrease in the mortality rate due to which more campaigns were initiated and delivered by the Sudden Infant Death Research Foundation (SIDRF) (Ellis. L and Freemantle. J, 2018). Moreover, more programs were launched subsequently such as Red Nose Day campaigns whose agendas revolved around bereavement, research and education (Ellis. L and Freemantle. J, 2018).  

Likewise, as years passed more policies were established to prevent further increase of SIDS including a law of tobacco’s plain packaging in addition to the increase in the prices of taxes and bans on smoking all over the country which directly dealt with one of the parental factors that lead to unexpected infant deaths (Appiah. L, Andreozzi. L and Lester. B, 2004). 

Similarly, other policies including the availability of neonatal intensive care units, improved access to antenatal & maternity care as well as national childhood immunisation programs were initiated by AIWH in 2009 among others (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2016).   

In short, all the policies whether they were directed towards infant , parental , socio-economical or environmental factor that have been introduced since the inception of the concept of SIDS have been effective and successful as well as they are not limited to only one dimension but spread over each leading cause.