Experiences of birthing people during the COVID-19 pandemic: Analysis of comments from the 2020 Wisconsin Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS).

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a significant toll on the US population, with birthing people having special clinical needs. The Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) is a population-based surveillance system for monitoring birthing people's experiences. Comment data from the PRAMS survey can provide further insight into birthing people's experiences.

Implementing a Safe Sleep Shelter and Baby Bundle Kit Distribution Program.

The Georgia Department of Public Health developed the Safe Sleep Shelter Program to expand Georgia Safe to Sleep campaign efforts. The program focused on engaging with housing support agencies, homeless shelters, and domestic violence shelters. The program offered a menu of resources that agencies could choose from, including portable cribs for agency use and distribution to families, safe sleep education for staff, assistance with creating/updating agency safe sleep policies, and Baby Bundle Safe Sleep kits with education and resources for families.

"Things changed very quickly": Maternal intentions and decision-making about infant sleep surface, location, and position.

Introduction: Approximately 3400 infants die suddenly and unexpectedly each year in the United States; many of these deaths include modifiable risk factors (such as a non-supine position, sleeping on a soft surface, or loose bedding or items in the environment). Interventions have been successful at improving parental knowledge about recommendations to reduce risk of sleep-related infant deaths, as well as improving intention to adopt recommendations. However, follow-up studies have found a disconnect between knowledge/intentions to adhere to recommendations and actual practices.

Hospital-based inpatient quality improvement initiatives on safe infant sleep: Systematic review and narrative synthesis.

This review aimed to better understand the application of Quality Improvement (QI) processes to increase adherence to safe infant sleep recommendations in inpatient hospital settings. Following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) 2020 guidelines, we searched MEDLINE/PubMed, CINAHL, and PsycINFO for articles published between 1992 and 2021 describing safe infant sleep QI processes in inpatient settings. Data were extracted from eligible articles based on the hospital setting, intervention target, and QI elements in addition to QI improvement efforts.

Evaluation of a Multisite Safe Infant Sleep Education and Crib Distribution Program.

Rates of sleep-related infant deaths have plateaued in the past few decades despite ongoing infant sleep practice recommendations to reduce risk of sleep-related infant deaths by the American Academy of Pediatrics. The state department of public health trained facilitators at 28 sites across the state to facilitate a group safe sleep educational program. A prospective, matched pre- and post-test cohort design with follow-up was used to evaluate changes in self-reported knowledge, intentions, and practices.

Feasibility and Acceptability of a Tailored Infant Safe Sleep Coaching Intervention for African American Families.

Background: Approximately 3600 infants die suddenly and unexpectedly annually in the United States. Research suggests limitations of current behavioral interventions to reduce the risk for sleep-related deaths among African American families living in under-resourced neighborhoods. Guided by the theory of planned behavior and the socio-ecological model, the My Baby's Sleep (MBS) intervention intends to reduce the risk for sleep-related infant deaths while addressing complex needs of African American families living in under-resourced neighborhoods.

A comparison of safe sleep violations in child care and family child care learning homes in Georgia.

Background: High rates of infant death associated with sleeping practices continue to persist in the United States. Infants spend a large portion of their day with child care and family child care learning home providers. Safe sleeping practices continue to be an area of need for care providers of young children.

Survey to Assess Interest in a Mindfulness Intervention at a Midwifery and Women's Health Clinic.

We conducted a voluntary survey among ethnically and socioeconomically diverse women. About half of the respondents reported experiencing at least one health issue; over half were interested in attending a mindfulness class to reduce stress. Our study suggests interest in participating in a mindfulness intervention, primarily among those with more health issues.

A Comparison of Infant Sleep Safety Guidelines in Nine Industrialized Countries.

Many countries have guidelines that recommend safety practices for infant sleep. However, it is not known whether guidelines between countries are similar or different. The purpose of this paper is to compare national public health infant sleep safety guidelines among highly developed countries.

Evaluation of a Crib Distribution and Safe Sleep Educational Program to Reduce Risk of Sleep-Related Infant Death.

To increase access to safe infant sleep surfaces and reduce risk of sleep-related infant deaths, the Georgia Department of Public Health implemented a portable crib distribution and safe sleep educational program. The aim of this evaluation was to compare parental knowledge and practices related to infant sleep before and after receipt of the safe sleep educational program and crib. A prospective, matched pre- and post-test cohort design with a follow-up survey was utilized to evaluate changes in knowledge and practices.

Implementing a Statewide Safe to Sleep Hospital Initiative: Lessons Learned.

Sleep-related infant deaths continue to be a major, largely preventable cause of infant mortality, especially in Georgia. The Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH), as part of a multi-pronged safe infant sleep campaign, implemented a hospital initiative to (1) provide accurate safe infant sleep information to hospital personnel; (2) support hospitals in implementing and modeling safe sleep practices; and (3) provide guidance on addressing caregiver safe sleep concerns. A process evaluation was conducted to determine progress toward four goals set out by DPH: (1) all birthing hospitals have a safe infant sleep policy; (2) all safe infant sleep policies reference the AAP 2011 recommendations; (3) all safe infant sleep policies specify the type and/or content of patient safe sleep education; and (4) all hospitals require regular staff training on safe sleep recommendations.

Trends and Factors Associated with Breastfeeding and Infant Sleep Practices in Georgia.

Breastfeeding benefits both infant and mother, including reducing the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). To further reduce risk of SIDS, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends infants sleep on their backs on a separate sleep surface. Our objective was to describe trends and factors associated with breastfeeding and infant sleep practices in Georgia.

Implementing and evaluating an interprofessional minority health conference for social work and healthcare professionals.

Interprofessional education (IPE) is one strategy for addressing health inequities; however, little attention has been paid to continuing IPE for practicing social work and healthcare professionals. This article offers guidance to faculty in social work and health-related academic units on offering continuing IPE on the topic of minority health. An interprofessional group of faculty offered a day-long conference on minority health, ethics, and social justice.

Evidence and Feasibility of Implementing an Integrated Wellness Program in Northeast Georgia.

Evidence for the connection between physical and mental health is growing, as is interest in providing a holistic, mind-body approach to improving mental health and wellness. A needs assessment in northeast Georgia identified several regional health priorities, including mental health and substance abuse, access to care, and cardiovascular health. The study's purpose is threefold: to (1) review evidence for integrated mind-body wellness services, (2) explore the feasibility of implementing wellness services in a small mental health agency serving northeast Georgia, and (3) conduct a brief survey assessing interest in a wellness program.

The Interface Among Poverty, Air Mattress Industry Trends, Policy, and Infant Safety.

Infants can suffocate on air mattresses, even when the mattress is fully inflated. The interfacing issues of poverty, the bedbug epidemic, and changes in the design and marketing of air mattresses may be increasing consumer use of air mattresses as primary sleep environments and thus increasing the potential for infant death. Despite recent changes to improve air mattress safety labeling, the National Child Death Review Case Reporting System found that between 2004 and 2015 across 24 states, an air mattress was the incident sleep place for 108 infants whose deaths were either during sleep or in a sleep environment.

Prevalence of stressful life events during pregnancy and its association with postpartum depressive symptoms.

Experiencing stressful life events (SLEs) has negative consequences for both mother and infant. This study examined the predictive contributions of (1) experiences of each SLE separately and its association with postpartum depressive symptoms (PDS), (2) experiences of cumulative number of SLEs and PDS, and (3) the cumulative experiences of SLEs across three domains (relational, financial, physical health). Georgia's Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System data were obtained from 2004 to 2011.

Trends and Progress in Reducing Teen Birth Rates and the Persisting Challenge of Eliminating Racial/Ethnic Disparities.

Purpose: We examined progress made by the Milwaukee community toward achieving the Milwaukee Teen Pregnancy Prevention Initiative's aggressive 2008 goal of reducing the teen birth rate to 30 live births/1000 females aged 15-17 years by 2015. We further examined differential teen birth rates in disparate racial and ethnic groups.

Method: We analyzed teen birth count data from the Wisconsin Interactive Statistics on Health system and demographic data from the US Census Bureau.

Anatomy of Good Prenatal Care: Perspectives of Low Income African-American Women on Barriers and Facilitators to Prenatal Care.

Background: Although early, consistent prenatal care (PNC) can be helpful in improving poor birth outcomes, rates of PNC use tend to be lower among African-American women compared to Whites. This study examines low-income African-American women's perspectives on barriers and facilitators to receiving PNC in an urban setting.

Methods: We conducted six focus groups with 29 women and individual structured interviews with two women.

Prevalence and Characteristics of Bed-Sharing Among Black and White Infants in Georgia.

Objectives: To examine: (1) the prevalence and characteristics of bed-sharing among non-Hispanic Black and White infants in Georgia, and (2) differences in bed-sharing and sleep position behaviors prior to and after the American Academy of Pediatrics' 2005 recommendations against bed-sharing.

Methods: Georgia Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) data were obtained from the Georgia Department of Public Health. Analysis was guided by the socioecological model levels of: Infant, Maternal, Family, and Community/Society within the context of race.

Infant Safe Sleep Interventions, 1990-2015: A Review.

Sleep-related infant deaths remain a major public health issue. Multiple interventions have been implemented in efforts to increase adherence to safe sleep recommendations. We conducted a systematic review of the international research literature to synthesize research on interventions to reduce the risk of sleep-related deaths and their effectiveness in changing infant sleep practices.

Application of a socio-ecological model to mother-infant bed-sharing.

Mother-infant bed-sharing has been associated with an increased risk of sleep-related infant deaths, and thus, health messaging has aimed to discourage this behavior. Despite this messaging, bed-sharing remains a common practice in the United States, especially among minority families. Moreover, rates of accidental suffocation and strangulation in bed (often related to bed-sharing) are on the rise, with Black infants at two to three times greater risk than Whites.