Date of Award

Spring 2020

Degree Name

Master of Medical Science (Physician Assistant)

Department

Physician Assistant; College of Health Sciences

First Advisor

Erin Wolf, B.S.N., PA-C

Second Advisor

Kevin J. Basile, MD, PT

Abstract

ABSTRACT:

Introduction: Environmental factors can increase the risk of SIDS for infants. These environmental factors have been targeted by educational campaigns in the past in an effort to reduce SIDS rates. Such educational campaigns have been effective in reducing SIDS among the white population but not Native American/Alaska Native (NAAN) populations in the United States. This paper aims to study whether educational campaigns that incorporate NAAN traditions and take socioeconomic factors into account will more effectively reduce SIDS rates for these communities.

Methods: To obtain scholarly articles, a literature search was performed using Pubmed, Academic Search Ultimate, and Google scholar. The article types were limited to clinical trials, clinical studies, and comparative studies published in scholarly journals within the last 10 years. 11 articles were obtained in the search.

Results: The results demonstrated a profound lack of knowledge about SIDS among NAAN communities. They specified which SIDS risk factors are most prevalent in NAAN communities including prone sleeping, pillow/blanket use, smoking/drinking in pregnancy, lack of pre/postnatal care, and higher rates of teen pregnancy. Finally, several trials displayed educational campaigns and interventions that incorporated community values.

Discussion: The results converge to illustrate that NAAN communities have little access to pre/postnatal care and therefore little information on safe sleeping and safe pregnancy practices. The results also show an increase in knowledge on SIDS risk factors and reduction in SIDS rates when culturally competent interventions are employed.

Conclusion: By involving NAAN community members in campaigns and tailoring interventions to their cultures, NAAN SIDS rates can be reduced to levels closer to that of the white population.

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Culturally Competent Interventions to reduce SIDS rates among Native American/Alaska Native Nations

ABSTRACT:

Introduction: Environmental factors can increase the risk of SIDS for infants. These environmental factors have been targeted by educational campaigns in the past in an effort to reduce SIDS rates. Such educational campaigns have been effective in reducing SIDS among the white population but not Native American/Alaska Native (NAAN) populations in the United States. This paper aims to study whether educational campaigns that incorporate NAAN traditions and take socioeconomic factors into account will more effectively reduce SIDS rates for these communities.

Methods: To obtain scholarly articles, a literature search was performed using Pubmed, Academic Search Ultimate, and Google scholar. The article types were limited to clinical trials, clinical studies, and comparative studies published in scholarly journals within the last 10 years. 11 articles were obtained in the search.

Results: The results demonstrated a profound lack of knowledge about SIDS among NAAN communities. They specified which SIDS risk factors are most prevalent in NAAN communities including prone sleeping, pillow/blanket use, smoking/drinking in pregnancy, lack of pre/postnatal care, and higher rates of teen pregnancy. Finally, several trials displayed educational campaigns and interventions that incorporated community values.

Discussion: The results converge to illustrate that NAAN communities have little access to pre/postnatal care and therefore little information on safe sleeping and safe pregnancy practices. The results also show an increase in knowledge on SIDS risk factors and reduction in SIDS rates when culturally competent interventions are employed.

Conclusion: By involving NAAN community members in campaigns and tailoring interventions to their cultures, NAAN SIDS rates can be reduced to levels closer to that of the white population.