Compared to Distribution

an indicator guage with the arrow in the green the value is in the best half of communities.

an indicator guage with the arrow in the yellow the value is in the 2nd worst quarter of communities.

an indicator guage with the arrow in the red the value is in the worst quarter of communities.

Compared to Target

green circle with white tick inside it meets target; red circle with white cross inside it does not meet target.

Compared to a Single Value

green diamond with downward arrow inside it lower than the comparison value; red diamond with downward arrow inside it higher than the comparison value; blue diamond with downward arrow inside it not statistically different from comparison value.

Trend

green square outline with upward trending arrow inside it green square outline with downward trending arrow inside it non-significant change over time; green square with upward trending arrow inside it green square with downward trending arrow inside it significant change over time; blue square with equals sign no change over time.

Compared to Prior Value

green triangle with upward trending arrow inside it higher than the previous measurement period; green triangle with downward trending arrow inside it lower than the previous measurement period; blue equals sign no statistically different change from previous measurement period.

green chart bars Significantly better than the overall value

red chart bars Significantly worse than the overall value

light blue chart bars No significant difference with the overall value

gray chart bars No data on significance available

Sudden Unexpected Infant Death Rate

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Measurement Period: 2016-2020

This indicator shows the mortality rate in deaths per 1,000 live births due to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), unknown cause, accidental suffocation and strangulation in bed.

Why is this important?

Sudden unexpected infant death (SUID) is a term used to describe the sudden and unexpected death of an infant less than 1 year old in which the cause was not obvious before investigation. These deaths often happen during sleep or in the infant's sleep area (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). Teaching caregivers about safe sleep practices is key to increasing the proportion of infants put to sleep on their backs (Healthy People 2030).

Considerations for Equitable Approaches: The rate of SUID declined considerably after safe sleep recommendations and changes to reporting requirements that started in the 1990s. Since 1999, the decline has slowed and rates have remained relatively stable. Nationally, there are disparities in SUID rates by race/ethnicity, income, and geographic location. SUID rates are highest among non-Hispanic American Indian/Alaska Native, non-Hispanic Black, and non-Hispanic Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). Addressing the potential impact of structural racism and working with communities, health care, and public health professionals can help to improve understanding of effective strategies for safe infant sleep practices among various populations (American Academy of Pediatrics). 

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