Correlates and Infant Mortality: Sudden Infant Death Syndrome among Black Women in the United States
Date of Award
4-1993
Degree Name
Master of Arts
Department
Sociology
First Advisor
Dr. Martin Ross
Second Advisor
Dr. Thomas Van Valey
Third Advisor
Dr. Lewis Walker
Access Setting
Masters Thesis-Open Access
Abstract
Often referred to as "cot death" or "crib death," sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is the single leading cause of infant death in infants aged 28 days to 1 year of life. Although the exact etiology of SIDS remains unknown, epidemiological studies have identified risk factors associated with higher rates of SIDS. In this study, the relationship between sudden infant death syndrome and maternal education among black women who gave birth in the United States during 1983 was examined.
The population for this study consisted of black infants who were born in 1983 and died before their first birthday. Among the 11,088 black infants who died during this period, 1,480 of the deaths were attributed to SIDS. Although this study controlled for race by examining SIDS cases among black women, the results confirmed the findings of previous research which found low maternal education to be significantly related with higher rates of SIDS.
Recommended Citation
Aubrey, Paulette, "Correlates and Infant Mortality: Sudden Infant Death Syndrome among Black Women in the United States" (1993). Masters Theses. 801.
https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/masters_theses/801