Prevalence of prone sleeping position and selected infant care practices of North Dakota infants: a comparison of whites and Native Americans.

A cross-sectional prevalence study was done in four primary care clinics (two rural and two urban sites) and four Native American clinics serving members of the Chippewa, Sioux, Hidasta, Arikara, and Mandan tribes, all in North Dakota, to determine the prevalence of prone, supine, and side sleeping position in white and Native American infants. Questionnaires for 325 infants (259 whites and 66 Native Americans) between birth and 6 months of age were completed by the infants' mothers. They reported that 69 percent of the infants slept prone, 17 percent slept supine, and 14 percent slept on their side. Native American infants, who are at 3.2 times the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome compared with other North Dakota infants, slept prone 46.9 percent of the time compared with 74.4 percent of white infants (chi 2 = 23.61; 1 df; P < .0001). No differences were observed in the prevalence of the side sleeping position. Eighteen percent of the infants slept in the position reported due to advice from a physician or nurse, 8 percent of the infants slept with more than two blankets, and 5 percent slept with a pillow. Native American infants in North Dakota did not have a higher prevalence of exposure to prone sleeping position.