Interpretation of recent sudden infant death syndrome rates in Western Australia

: The diagnosis of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) has undergone several changes in definition since first being recognised as a cause of death. Linked total population data from Western Australia enable investigations to determine changes in classifications of mortality for the infants of Aboriginal and non‐Aboriginal mothers (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are referred to throughout this report as ‘Aboriginal’). Data for recent years show a shift away from a classification of ‘SIDS’ towards a classification of ‘unascertainable’, particularly for Aboriginal infants. This has implications for the accurate translation of data into policy and practice.