Child care practice in the United Arab Emirates: The ESACCIPS study

Yousef Mohamed Abdulrazzaq, Asma Al Kendi, Nicolaas Jan Nagelkerke

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

8 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Aims: This study was undertaken to monitor infant care practice associated with SIDS and establish the incidence of SIDS in the UAE. Methods: A total of 996 families were recruited for the study. One questionnaire was completed during the first 7 days after delivery, and was used to collect information about the socio-demographic features, mother's medical history, delivery status and infant's medical history, and another questionnaire was completed after 12 weeks through telephone interviews of the mothers. 716 completed both questionnaires. Registers at the two hospitals, and at the Preventive Medicine Department were studied and all infant deaths in a 5-year period were recorded. Results: In all 18.9% of infants were placed in the prone position. Mothers preferred supine position (49.3%) to other positions when putting their babies to bed. Ninety eight percent preferred that their infant slept in the same room as the parents. On the whole, 40% occasionally shared their beds with their infants. Swaddling the babies was quite common (83.2%) and 91.9% of their mothers were also swaddled when they were babies. More than 80% of all infants used bedding duvets for their infants both in the summer and in the winter. SIDS mortality rate was 0.66 per thousand live births and contributed 7.25% to the infant mortality rate. Conclusion: These data provide useful baseline information on child care practice and should be of immense benefit to the understanding of the risks and causal mechanisms of SIDS and to the UAE health authorities should they wish to develop strategies to reduce the risk of SIDS.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)590-595
Number of pages6
JournalActa Paediatrica, International Journal of Paediatrics
Volume97
Issue number5
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - May 2008

Keywords

  • Child Care Practice
  • SIDS
  • UAE

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Pediatrics, Perinatology, and Child Health

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