Sudden, unexplained jump in mortality rates in Black infants in 2020

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
13 Mar 2023 18:05
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Racial disparities persist as Black people are disproportionately affected by the pandemic which could be a reason for the increase in SIDS in Black infants.

An infant seen sleeping (AFP)

An unexpected jump in the mortality rate of Black infants occurred during the first year of the pandemic, a new study found.

According to the research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published Monday in the medical journal Pediatrics, the rate of sudden infant deaths increased by 15% from 2020 compared to the rate in 2019, the number being 33.3 deaths per 100,000 babies born in 2019 to 38.2 such deaths in 2020.

SIDS, sudden infant death syndrome, is a well-known term to describe the inexplainable cause of death for infants.

The study's author, Sharyn Parks Brown, senior epidemiologist for the CDC's Perinatal and Infant Health Team referred to the findings as "an absolute surprise" to them. The reasons for the sudden jump remain unknown. Results need to be monitored for a few more years to see if the increase continues.

"If the new guidance was followed, this could have led to increased reporting of SIDS," the study authors wrote.

Whatever the reason is, racial disparities persist as Black people were disproportionately affected by the pandemic. According to an editorial published with the study, Black people are more than twice likely to live in poverty than White people.

"And among families with children, homelessness is 50% more likely among those who identify as non-Hispanic Black," the authors wrote.

Dr. Rebecca Carlin, a pediatrician affiliated with Columbia University in New York, said, "If you don’t have a safe place for your baby to sleep, how are you going to have them sleep safely?"

In addition to that, Black communities have higher rates of smoking and preteen births; both of which are factors for sudden infant deaths.