MPH alumnus Warren: Tennessee’s infant mortality rate is among the worst in the country
Sleep-related accidents are a leading cause of death of Tennessee children, and infants are the most vulnerable.
According to the Tennessee Department of Health, in 2015, 890 children died before their 18th birthday, and 142 of those children were infants who died in unsafe sleep environments. Dr. Michael Warren, the Tennessee Department of Health’s Deputy Commissioner for Population, says Tennessee’s infant mortality rate is among the worst in the country. In other words, Tennessee’s babies die at higher rates than almost any other state. Because of this, the department is aggressively trying to try to spread the word to parents about how and where infants should sleep in order to avoid accidental death.