Rev. 2004

SIDS Deaths By Race And Ethnicity

1995–2001

“Infant mortality is the most sensitive index we possess of social welfare.”

—Julia Lathrop, M.D. 

First Director, Federal Children’s Bureau, 1913

After the first month of life, SIDS is the leading cause of death among all

racial and ethnic groups, representing nearly one-third of all deaths in

babies between 1 month and 1 year of age.

Since the Back to Sleep Campaign was first launched in 1994, the rate of

SIDS deaths has decreased dramatically. However, there are still

significant differences in the SIDS rates among racial and ethnic

minorities. SIDS rates are highest for African Americans and American

Indians and lowest for Asians and Hispanics. As shown in Table 1, in

2001, the rate of SIDS among African Americans was more than twice

that of Whites, and more than three times greater among American

Indians than Whites. Further reductions in the number of SIDS deaths,

particularly among African Americans and American Indians, will greatly

lower the overall infant mortality rate. 

National Sudden

Infant Death

Syndrome/

Infant Death

Resource Center

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is the sudden death of an infant

under 1 year of age which remains unexplained after a thorough

case investigation, including performance of a complete autopsy,

examination of the death scene, and review of the clinical history

(Willinger et al., 1991).
2

Reducing the Risk Even More

For African Americans, “tummy” sleeping is a significant

risk factor for SIDS (Hauck et al., 2003). To promote

back sleeping in this community, the Back to Sleep

Campaign partners joined with the National Black Child

Development Institute and other historically Black

organizations to develop materials for a new initiative to

reduce SIDS in African-American communities. 

Many local SIDS/infant death and fetal and infant

mortality review programs that serve minority populations

have also developed special SIDS risk reduction

materials. Check with your local health department to

learn about these programs in your community.

Race

All races**

White

Black

American 

Indian***

Asian & Pacific 

Islander

Total Hispanic+

Mexican

Puerto Rican

Central & South 

American

-36.3

-36.9

-31.9

-29.5

-62.9

-43.2

-50.5

-28.4

++

19951

Rate

87.2

72.3

166.6

206.6

49.9

47.7

Not 

Available

Not 

Available

Not 

Available

19962

Rate

78.5

64.3

153.8

203.3

44.0

48.5

Not 

Available

Not 

Available

Not 

Available

19973

Rate

77.2

64.8

143.2

155.6

51.2

46.5

46.9

59.5

40.0

19984

Rate

71.7

59.5

137.9

151.5

39.4

37.4

38.0

41.8

20.4

19995

Rate

66.8

55.6

129.9

146.9

31.0

37.2

33.3

66.5

+

20006

Rate

62.1

51.8

122.1

120.0

29.4

34.3

31.8

63.7

26.5

20017

Rate

55.5

45.6

113.5

145.7

18.5

27.1

23.2

76.4

++

Percent 

Change

Table 1: SIDS Mortality Rate by Race and Hispanic Origin of Mother 

1995–2001* Linked Files

(Rates per 100,000 Live Births in Specified Group) 

Notes:

* Last year with complete and final data.

** Includes races other than Blacks and Whites.

*** Includes Aleuts and Eskimos.

+ Includes Cuban and other and unknown Hispanic.

++ Figure does not meet standard of reliability or precision; based on fewer

than 20 deaths in the numerator.

The linked birth/death data set is from birth and infant death certificates

registered in all States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin

Islands, and Guam. Race is based on birth certificate data. Race and Hispanic

origin of mother are reported as separate items on the birth certificates and,

therefore, a mother of Hispanic origin can be of any race. 

1, 2, 3 MacDorman and Atkinson, 1998a, 1998b, 1999.

4 Mathews, Curtin, and MacDorman, 2000.

5 Mathews, MacDorman, and Menacker, 2002.

6 Mathews, Menacker, and MacDorman, 2002.

7 Mathews, Menacker, and MacDorman, 2003.
3

Information on SIDS Risk Reduction

in Minority Communities

National Sudden Infant Death Syndrome/Infant Death

Resource Center (NSIDRC)

2070 Chain Bridge Road

Suite 450

Vienna, VA 22182

Phone: (866) 866-7437; (703) 821-8955

Fax: (703) 821-2098

E-mail: sids@circlesolutions.com 

www.sidscenter.org

National Center for Cultural Competence (NCCC)

SIDS/ID Component

Georgetown University Child Development Center

3307 M Street NW

Suite 401

Washington, DC 20007-3935

Phone: (800) 788-2066; (202) 687-5387

Fax: (202) 687-8899

E-mail: cultural@gunet.georgetown.edu

www.dml.georgetown.edu/depts/pediatrics/gucdc/

cultural.html

National SIDS and Infant Death Program Support Center

Kathleen Graham, Director

1314 Bedford Avenue

Suite 210

Baltimore, MD 21208

Phone: (410) 415-6628; (800) 638-7437

Fax: (410) 415-5093

E-mail: kgrahamsids@yahoo.com

www.sids-id-psc.org

National SIDS & Infant Death Project IMPACT

2070 Chain Bridge Road

Suite 450

Vienna, VA 22182

Phone: (703) 902-1260; (800) 930-7437

Fax: (703) 902-1320

E-mail: lcooper@ sidsprojectimpact.com

www.sidsprojectimpact.com

Information on the Back to Sleep Campaign

National Institute of Child Health and 

Human Development 

Back to Sleep Campaign

31 Center Drive, Room 2A32

Bethesda, MD 20892-2425

Public Information: (301) 496-5133 

Fax: (301) 496-7101

www.nichd.nih.gov

To order campaign materials, call toll-free: 

(800) 505-CRIB (2742)

To order single copies of materials for African 

Americans, phone: Toll-free: (800) 370-2943

These materials also may be ordered online.

To request multiple copies of the new Resource Kit for

Reducing the Risk of SIDS in African-American

Communities, phone: Toll-free: (800) 505-CRIB (2742)

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

National Center for Health Statistics

Metro IV Building

3311 Toledo Road

Hyattsville, MD 20782

Phone: (301) 458-4636

www.cdc.gov/nchs

Partners in the Back to Sleep Campaign

Outreach to Underserved Populations

■ Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority

■ Chi Eta Phi Sorority

■ Chicago Department of Public Health

■ Congress of National Black Churches

■ District of Columbia Department of Public

Health

■ National Association for the Advancement of

Colored People

■ National Black Child Health Development

Institute

■ National Coalition of 100 Black Women

■ National Medical Association

■ National Association of Black Owned

Broadcasters

■ Pampers Parenting Institute

■ Zeta Phi Beta Sorority

The Back to Sleep Campaign is sponsored by the Maternal

and Child Health Bureau, the National Institute of Child

Health and Human Development, the American Academy

of Pediatrics, the SIDS Alliance, and the Association of

SIDS and Infant Mortality Programs.
4

Cited References

Hauck FR, Herman SM, Donovan M, et al. “Sleep Environment and

the Risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome in an Urban Population:

The Chicago Infant Mortality Study.” Pediatrics 2003; (111):

1207–1214.

MacDorman MF, Atkinson JO. “Infant Mortality Statistics from the

Linked Birth/Infant Death Data Set–1995 Period Data.” Monthly Vital

Statistics Report (46)6, supp. 2. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for

Health Statistics. February 26, 1998a. 

MacDorman MF, Atkinson JO. “Infant Mortality Statistics from the

1996 Period Linked Birth/Infant Death Data Set.” Monthly Vital

Statistics Report (46)12, supp. 3. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for

Health Statistics. August 27, 1998b. 

MacDorman MF, Atkinson JO. “Infant Mortality Statistics from the

1997 Period Linked Birth/Infant Death Data Set.” National Vital

Statistics Reports (47)23. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health

Statistics. July 30, 1999. 

Mathews TJ, Curtin SC, MacDorman MF. “Infant Mortality Statistics

from the 1998 Period Linked Birth/Infant Death Data Set.” National

Vital Statistics Reports (48)12. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for

Health Statistics. July 20, 2000. 

Mathews TJ, MacDorman MF, Menacker F. “Infant Mortality Statistics

from the 1999 Period Linked Birth/Infant Death Data Set.” National

Vital Statistics Reports (50)4. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for

Health Statistics. January 30, 2002. 

Mathews TJ, Menacker F, MacDorman MF. “Infant Mortality Statistics

from the 2000 Period Linked Birth/Infant Death Data Set.” National

Vital Statistics Reports (50)12. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for

Health Statistics. August 28, 2002. 

Mathews TJ, Menacker F, MacDorman MF. “Infant Mortality Statistics

from the 2001 Period Linked Birth/Infant Death Data Set.” National

Vital Statistics Reports (52)2. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for

Health Statistics. September 15, 2003.

Willinger M, James LS, Catz C. “Defining the Sudden Infant Death

Syndrome (SIDS): Deliberations of an Expert Panel Convened by the

National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.”

Pediatric Pathology September–October 1991; 11(5): 677–84.

Other References

Hauck FR, Moore CM, Herman, et al. “The Contribution of Prone

Sleeping Position to the Racial Disparity in Sudden Infant Death

Syndrome: The Chicago Infant Mortality Study.” Pediatrics October

2002; 110(4):772–80. 

National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National

Institutes of Health. From Cells to Selves. Targeting Sudden Infant

Death Syndrome (SIDS): A Strategic Plan. Rockville, (MD): National

Institute of Child Health and Human Development. 2001.

This publication was produced by the

National SIDS/Infant Death 

Resource Center (NSIDRC)

2070 Chain Bridge Road

Suite 450

Vienna, VA 22182

Phone: (866) 866-7437, (703) 821-8955

E-mail: sids@circlesolutions.com

www.sidscenter.org

The NSIDRC is funded under contract to Circle Solutions, Inc., with the Maternal and Child

Health Bureau (MCHB), Health Resources and Services Administration, U.S. Department

of Health and Human Services. This publication is not copyrighted; it may be reproduced

in whole or in part without permission. However, in accordance with accepted publishing

standards, it is requested that proper credit be given to the source(s). The views in this

publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the sponsoring agency.

Health Resources and Services Administration

Maternal and Child Health Bureau

SIDS/Infant Death Program

(301) 443-2115

www.hrsa.gov