Closing the Health Gap on Infant Mortality

Know What to Do for Life is a national education campaign designed to help reduce the infant mortality rate among African Americans due to preterm birth, low birth weight, and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). The campaign will increase awareness about the disparate rates of infant mortality, highlight many of the risk factors associated with these conditions, and promote risk reduction among parents and caregivers. The Know What to Do for Life campaign is part of the HHS Closing the Health Gap on Infant Mortality Initiative's three-part approach to reduce racial and ethnic disparities in infant deaths--including research coordination among HHS agencies, risk reduction efforts in communities, and communications activities to improve awareness of factors that contribute to infant mortality.

The initiative represents a collaborative effort among HHS' Office of Minority Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Health Resources and Services Administration, the Indian Health Service, the National Institutes of Health, and the Office on Women's Health.