Community Partnerships

An Innovative Blood Lead Screening Program for Indian Children

The authors' goal was to screen Indian children on the reservation who were participating in WIC and Head Start. researchers screened close to 100% of the young children on the Rocky Boy reservation. The average blood lead level for these Indian children, ages 1 to 5, was 2.4 micrograms/dL, which is not significantly different from that of children of the same age nationally.

Promoting Community Gardening to Low-Income Urban Participants in the Women, Infants, and Children Programme (WIC) in New Mexico

This study investigated the effectiveness of methods to promote the WIC community garden project in Albuquerque, New Mexico. researchers found that fewer ; than 30% of clients surveyed had heard of the project; that caseload was unrelated to promotion methods; and that clients participating in the project reported consuming more vegetables.

Needs Assessment and Intervention Strategies to Reduce Lead-Poisoning Risk Among Low-Income Ohio Toddlers

The objective of this study was to examine parental receipt of lead-poisoning prevention information and the preferred methods of receiving this information. The author concluded that more minority respondents preferred receiving information via videos, billboards, and home visits. Younger parents preferred reading brochures, seeing billboards, and speaking with someone at the health department or WIC.

Maternal Health Behaviors and Infant Health Outcomes Among Homeless Mothers: US Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) 2000-2007

The goal of this study was to determine whether participation in the WIC Program was associated with improved maternal and infant health outcomes among homeless women in the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System. Compared with those not in the program, women enrolled in WIC were significantly more likely to have a higher body mass index, initiate breastfeeding after delivery, have prenatal care visits, have a longer gestational age, and have a higher infant birth weight.

Reducing Low Birth Weight Through Home Visitation: A Randomized Controlled Trial

This study assessed the effectiveness of a prenatal home visitation program in reducing adverse birth outcomes among socially disadvantaged pregnant women and adolescents. The risk of delivering a low-birth weight baby was significantly lower for the intervention group. The risk was further reduced for mothers who were exposed to the intervention at a gestational age of 24 weeks or fewer.

WIC and Breastfeeding Support Services: Does the Mix of Services Offered Vary with Race and Ethnicity?

This study explored the associations between breastfeeding initiation and the availability of WIC-based breastfeeding support, as well as the racial and ethnic composition of WIC clients in North Carolina. The study found that breastfeeding initiation by site was negatively associated with the percentage of African-American clients and positively associated with percentage of white or Hispanic clients.

Qualitative Study on WIC Program Strategies to Promote Breastfeeding Practices in Puerto Rico: What do Nutritionist/Dieticians Think?

The purpose of this study was to better understand nutritionist/dietitians; opinions concerning WIC Program strategies to promote breastfeeding in Puerto Rico. One theme that emerged from the focus groups was that the WIC Program in Puerto Rico should collaborate with hospitals to arrange for WIC-sponsored nutritionist/dietitians to visit the WIC participants during their maternity hospital stay and in their homes.

A Randomized Controlled Community-Based Trial to Improve Breastfeeding Rates Among Urban Low-Income Mothers

The purpose of this study was to assess whether providing a breastfeeding support team would result in higher breastfeeding rates at 6, 12, and 24 weeks postpartum among urban low-income mothers. There were no differences in the sociodemographic characteristics between the groups. Compared with the usual-care group, more women reported breastfeeding in the intervention at 6 weeks postpartum.

Individual Net-Benefit Maximization: A Model for Understanding Breastfeeding Cessation Among Low-Income Women

The authors used the economic theory of individual net-benefit maximization to analyze the social, economic, and psychological disincentives that potentially influence breastfeeding cessation. Results showed that the following disincentives were significantly associated with cessation: WIC participation at 2 to 4 months; a mother who returned to work for 20 to 40 hours per week; a mother who did not attend a postpartum doctor rsquo;s visit; a household that did not include a father; presence of a smoker in the household; lack of breastfeeding instruction at the pediatric office; a doctor who did not encourage breastfeeding, and a mother who experienced depressive symptoms.

A Randomized Trial Assessing the Efficacy of Peer Counseling on Exclusive Breastfeeding in a Predominantly Latina Low-Income Community

The study assessed the efficacy of peer counseling to promote exclusive breastfeeding among low-income inner-city women in Hartford, Connecticut. The results indicated that well-structured intensive breastfeeding support provided by hospital and community-based peer counselors was effective in improving exclusive breastfeeding rates among low-income inner-city women.