PSJ Web Site
J-STAGE
  Software Requirements
Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.01 or higher and Netscape Navigator 4.75 or higher are recommended.


J.Health Sci., 51(4), 477-482, 2005

Relation between Sudden Infant Death Syndrome and Weather Factors in Japan

Kouichi Nakazawaa and Yasushi Honda*, b

aDoctoral Programs and bEnvironmental Epidemiology Group, Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, the University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennoudai, Tsukuba 305-8577, Japan

We examined the relation between sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) mortality and meteorological factors, specifically ambient temperature, sunshine duration, and atmospheric pressure, in Japan. Using both the data of daily SIDS mortality and meteorological factors for the years 1972 through 1995, we calculated the Mantel-Haenszel rate ratios of SIDS, controlling for selected covariates. We found an inverse association of SIDS mortality rate with daily mean temperature and daily mean sunshine duration. In conclusion, although this was an exploratory study, further investigation of the relation between SIDS and meteorological factors appears to be warranted.