The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

4300.0: Tuesday, November 12, 2002 - Board 3

Abstract #45005

Home visiting as an intervention model for increasing infant safety

Millicent McMullen, BSN, RN, LaSalle University, 46 primrose drive, bear, DE 19701, (302)834-8662, plats@msn.com and Katherine K. Kinsey, PhD, RN, FAAN, School of Nursing, La Salle Neighborhood Nursing Center, La Salle University, Box 808, 1900 West Olney Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19141.

The primary cause of infant deaths in the United States is Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Although there have been significant improvements in decreasing the number of SIDS deaths in the US, the infant mortality rate remains high in the minority community, especially the Black/African American communities. Research has shown that the implementation of home visitation programs has resulted in the reduction of the risk factors associated with infant mortality. The goal of this graduate public health nursing student program is to increase safety measures used by family members to secure the well-being of their infants and reduce the potential of SIDS in minority communities. This health promotion and infant safety program targeted key health informants,lay home visitors, nurses, social workers and other home visitors in contact with the community. Two inservices were conducted with local agencies providing home visitation in the community. The inservices enabled the participants, particularly lay home visitors to learn more about SIDS and their roles in promoting infant safety among vulnerable populations. Participant feedback and recommendations for future inservices are presented.

Learning Objectives: At the end of the presentation the participants will be able to

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.

PHN Poster Session 2: Student Projects

The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA