Social and behavioural factors in Non-suspicious unexpected death in infancy; experience from metropolitan police project indigo investigation

Abstract

In the Metropolitan area of London, non-suspicious infant and young child deaths, (under the age of two years for this protocol), include investigation by SCO17 (Specialist Crime and Operations; formerly SCD5), a specialist branch of the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS), according to standard protocol (Project Indigo), which collects data on a large number of variables relating to the circumstances of death, including social and behavioural factors of parents and carers [4]. Conclusions In conclusion, this study, using a unique dataset, demonstrates continued association between infant death rate and social deprivation in a large urban population, and further provide data on the relationship between social disadvantage and increased parental/carer risk behaviours such as use of cigarettes and alcohol, and co-sleeping, which are potentially modifiable by public health interventions.