College of Medicine research featured in Washington Post

Research led by Penn State College of Medicine faculty and a student was recently highlighted in the Washington Post.

Researchers found the risk of sudden unexpected infant death (SUID) and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) increased during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to the pre-pandemic period, especially in 2021, in a study recently published in JAMA Network Open.

The research team examined the rate of both SUID and SIDS during the COVID-19 pandemic and compared it to the immediate period prior to the pandemic. Between March 1, 2018, and Dec. 31, 2021, there were 14,308 cases of SUID, based on national data on mortality provided by the CDC.

The research team found that the risk of SUID and SIDS increased during the pandemic when they compared monthly cases to the pre-pandemic period. The greatest increase was observed in 2021 when rates for SUID and SIDS increased 9% and 10%, respectively, compared to the pre-pandemic period. There was a notable shift in SUID rates from June to December 2021, when the monthly rate of SUID increased between 10% and 14% compared to pre-pandemic levels.

The research team included Emma Guare, a fourth-year medical student; Erich Batra, associate professor of pediatrics and family and community medicine, Catharine Paules, associate professor of medicine; Vernon Chinchilli, Distinguished Professor of Public Health Sciences; Paddy Ssentongo, assistant professor of public health sciences; and Rong Zhao, doctoral student in biostatistics.

Click here to read the Washington Post article

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