SUDDEN INFANT DEATH IN COPENHAGEN 1956–1971 II. Social Factors and Morbidity

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Abstract
Cases (131) of the sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) among infants born in the Municipality of Copenhagen, Denmark, during 1956-1971 were analyzed on the basis of data collected prospectively by the infant health visitors and abstracted from police reports. Compared with controls, a significantly larger number of SIDS infants were born out of wedlock, were living only with their mother, had parents in a less secure occupation and lived in more crowded, poor-quality dwellings and districts. The home standard was lower among the SIDS families, including a lower standard of infant care, a higher percentage of not keeping the appointments with the infant health visitors and a lower mental capacity in the mothers; there was no difference with respect to the mother''s physical capacity. More congenital malformations and more cases of asphyxia were found among the SIDS infants, and a significantly larger number of the SIDS infants were admitted to hospital, with a tendency to be kept there longer. A relationship apparently exists between poor social conditions, increased morbidity and SIDS. During recent years the differences between cases and controls as regards certain of the social parameters studied decreased.