The development and analysis of an educational unit on sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)

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Authors
Creely, Daniel P., 1949-
Advisor
Travis, H. Richard
Issue Date
1974
Keyword
Degree
Thesis (Ed. S.)
Department
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Abstract

The objectives of this study were: (1) to develop an educational unit on Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS); (2) to develop a handout booklet on SIDS from the content material of the educational unit; and (3) to identify a knowledge and attitude change, if any, after the SIDS educational unit was presented.A questionnaire concerning SIDS was developed and mailed to a 12-member expert committee. The committee was represented by the following professions and individuals: five physicians, two registered nurses, three parents, and two public health officials.The questionnaire contained two sections:(a) content statements; and (b) attitude statements. The committee members were asked to react to each of the 32 content and 25 attitude statements by classifying each statement into one of the three categories: essential, desirable, or non-essential. The statements reaching consensus (50 percent of the returned questionnaires) among the committee members as essential were utilized as the basis for the educational unit and evaluation instruments used in this study.The educational unit, along with the achievement and attitude instruments, was presented to the following five groups: (a) a squad of police investigators; (b) a class of emergency medical technicians; (c) a class of licensed practical nurses; (d) a group or parents; and (e) a class of community health students. The students were used as the pilot study group for the educational unit and evaluation instruments. The four remaining groups supplied the data analyzed in this study. A pre-post test design was utilized at each presentation to measure knowledge and attitude changes among the participants. Multiple choice and true-false questions were developed for the achievement test, while a four position attitude scale was utilized for the attitude test.The participants' lack of knowledge concerning SIDS, prior to the presentation of the educational unit, was indicated by the low scores on the pre-achievement test. The post-achievement test indicated all four groups retained better than 85 percent of the presented material. The participants' attitudes revealed a marked improvement from the pre- to post-test. Attitudes between Agree-Strongly Agree were constant on the post-test, in comparison to attitudes of Disagree-Strongly Disagree on the pre-test. An analysis of the evaluation sheets, given to the participants at the end of the SIDS presentation, indicated there were no negative comments regarding the content material, length, or presentation of the SIDS educational unit.This study recommended an educational unit involving SIDS should be implemented in the instructional training of all health professionals who may have contact with SIDS.