Bedsharing among Maoris: an indigenous tradition. (Special Issue).

Publication: Mothering

Publication Date: 01-SEP-02

Bookmark this article Print this article Link to this article Email this article Digg It! Add to del.icio.us RSS

COPYRIGHT 2002 Mothering Magazine

The New Zealand National SIDS Study, discussed in a preceding article by Barry Taylor et al., identified three modifiable risk factors in SIDS deaths: prone sleeping position, the absence of breastfeeding, and maternal cigarette smoking. A prevention campaign was launched across New Zealand, and within a year the national SIDS rate was practically halved. By 1992 bedsharing was being promoted as a fourth modifiable risk factor, and an anti-bedsharing message was included in the SIDS prevention effort.

**********

It soon became quite clear to SIDS workers in the community, and later at a statistical level, that SIDS deaths among the indigenous Maori, who comprise about 15 percent of the population, had hardly dropped at all. As a result of this finding, and with some agitation from the Maori health sector, the Maori SIDS Prevention Programme was established in 1994.

High rates of both maternal...

Read the full article for free courtesy of your local library.