WORLD JOURNAL OF ADVANCE
HEALTHCARE RESEARCH

*Yasameen Yousuf Yaseen and Sina'a Kareem Abdullah

ABSTRACT

Background: Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) refers to the unexpected and unexplained death of an infant under one year of age, occurring outside the perinatal period and remaining unexplained even after a complete autopsy, investigation of the death scene, and review of clinical history. Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the level of knowledge and practices of mothers regarding SIDS and to identify the socio-demographic factors influencing their awareness and behaviors. Patients and Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out at Al-Imamain Al-Kadhmein Medical City involving 300 mothers. A structured questionnaire was used, consisting of three sections: socio-demographic information, knowledge about SIDS risk factors, and reported sleep practices for their children. Data were analyzed using the Pearson Chi-square test to determine associations, with significance set at P < 0.05. Results: Among the 300 participating mothers, 35.3% demonstrated good knowledge of SIDS, 53.7% had average knowledge, and 11% had poor knowledge. Regarding practice, 42% of the mothers followed appropriate sleep practices for their infants, while 58% exhibited poor practices. Several socio-demographic variables such as maternal education, number of children, occupation, and the source of health information significantly influenced both knowledge and practice levels. Conclusions: The findings highlight an overall unsatisfactory level of knowledge and practice related to SIDS among the studied mothers. The results underscore the urgent need for targeted educational interventions that focus on improving maternal awareness and promoting safe sleep practices to reduce the risk of SIDS.