Evalutation of the New York city cribs for kids program

Objective: Recognizing the association between the sleep environment and infant death, the New York City (NYC) Cribs for Kids (C4K) program focuses on improved knowledge and practices regarding safe sleep for infants in low-income NYC neighborhoods. This study was conducted to determine the effectiveness of the program.

Methods: Pre- and post-intervention questionnaires were administered to families who participated in the C4K program to ascertain if there were changes in safe sleep knowledge, attitudes, and practices. From January 2008 to January 2010, staff administered post-surveys to a sample of families who previously completed the pre-test.

Results: A total of 187 program participants were included in the evaluation. In the pre-test, 42.5% of participants stated that they put their babies to sleep with an adult or child (an unsafe sleep environment) in comparison to only 5.5% of respondents during the post test (p<0.001). 32.4% of pre-test respondents were either unsure about their infants sleep position or placed their infants to sleep on their stomach or side, considered risk factors for accidental suffocation. In the post-test, this was reduced to 17.6%, (p=0.001). This decrease in placing infants in an unsafe sleep position was also reported for other caregivers (26.1% pre vs. 15.2% post; p=0.017). There was also a significant reduction in sleep clutter, (54.5 % pre vs. 43.3% post; p=0.028).

Conclusions: Program participants' knowledge and behavior regarding safe sleep and suffocation risk factors among infants improved. An education intervention combined with access to safe cribs may reduce the risk of accidental suffocation.