Record low in baby SIDS death rates

New Zealand's Sudden Infant Death Syndrome rate in 2004 was the lowest since records began, new official figures from the New Zealand Health Information Service (NZHIS) show.

There were 45 SIDS cases recorded in 2004, six fewer than in 2003, according to Fetal and Infant Deaths 2003 and 2004 released today. SIDS is the sudden unexpected death of a baby.

The overall SIDS death rate was 0.8 per 1000 live births -- the lowest rate recorded since SIDS became a separate category in the International Classification of Diseases in 1979.

“We are heartened by this reduction in deaths which means that fewer parents are experiencing the tragic loss of their young babies,” says Chief Advisor Child and Youth Health Dr Pat Tuohy.

“We encourage parents to continue to sleep babies on their backs, breastfeed their infants and have a smokefree pregnancy and home so they can give their babies the safest start in life,” says Dr Tuohy.

The infant death rate (deaths of infants between birth and one year of life) has fallen slightly over the last 10 years, but Pacific and Mâori infant death rates remains high, partly due to high rates of SIDS. Mâori accounted for 35.4 percent of the 347 infant deaths in 2004.

NZHIS also released two other publications today – Cancer New Registrations and Deaths 2004 and Selected Health Professional Workforce in New Zealand 2006.

There were 19,223 new cases of cancer diagnosed and reported (registered) to the New Zealand Cancer Registry in 2004, and 8145 deaths, says Principal Advisor Cancer Control Dr John Childs.

Registrations increased by 3.4 percent from 2003 and deaths increased by 1.5 percent.

Cancer remained the leading cause of death in 2004, with lung cancer the leading cause of death from cancer.

“The Ministry of Health, District Health Boards and non-governmental organisations are working to reduce the toll cancer takes on New Zealanders.”

Activities include enhancing the tobacco control programme, putting in place the Healthy Eating, Healthy Action strategy and improving national screening programmes.

“The cancer control programme is also progressing initiatives to ensure all New Zealanders have timely access to comprehensive cancer treatment and palliative care services.”

The workforce publication updates statistics about 11 health professional workforces in New Zealand. The professions covered include midwives, medical radiation technologists and psychologists but not doctors or nurses.

Information about the age and sex of the workforce, ethnicity and the hours worked is included. There has been a steady increase in the proportion of women involved in these professions over recent years.

Some professions -- for example medical radiation technologists and psychologists -- have workers spread over age groups while others such as midwives and laboratory workers have an older workforce.

DHBs and the Ministry will use this information, along with data for doctors and nurses and that collected by the DHBs’ health workforce information programme, for workforce planning purposes.

Please go to www.nzhis.govt.nz for more information about these reports.