Community Partnerships

Factors Associated with Underimmunization at 3 Months of Age in Four Medically Underserved Areas

This study examines coverage rates and factors associated with underimmunization at 3 months of age in four medically underserved areas. Vaccination coverage levels at 3 months of age varied across sites: They were 82.4% in northern Manhattan, 70.5% in Detroit, 82.3% in San Diego, and 75.8% in rural Colorado. Among children who were not up to date, the majority (65.7% to 71.5%, per site) had not received vaccines because of missed opportunities.

Effects of WIC Participation on Children’s Use of Oral Health Services

The authors estimated the effects of the WIC Program on dental services use by Medicaid children in North Carolina. According to the results, children who participated in WIC had an increased probability of having a dental visit, were more likely to use preventive and restorative services, and were less likely to use emergency services.

Maternal Characteristics Associated with Vaccination of Young Children

The authors analyzed maternal characteristics associated with vaccination in US preschool children. Results showed that factors most strongly associated with undervaccination included mothers who were black; had less than a high school education; were divorced, separated, or widowed; had multiple children; were eligible for WIC, but not participating; or had incomes below 50% of the federal poverty level.

Caries Prevalence of Children in an Infant Oral Health Educational Program at a WIC Clinic

The study compared the prevalence of caries between children whose parents had previously participated in an infant oral health education program at a WIC clinic with those whose parents had not participated in such a program. The study results showed that parents ; previous WIC education program participation was highly associated with lower carious lesions. The research indicated that WIC could have a positive impact on caries prevention.

Improving the Health of Infants on Medicaid by Collocating Special Supplemental Nutrition Clinics With Managed Care Provider Sites

The study objective was to determine whether collocation of WIC clinics at managed care provider sites improved healthcare for infants enrolled in Medicaid and WIC. The findings revealed that compared with other infants, those who visited collocated WIC sites were either closer to their age-appropriate weight or had higher immunization rates when recertified by WIC staff after their first birthday.

Obesity Prevention in Preschool Native-American Children: A Pilot Study Using Home Visiting

The authors tested the effectiveness of a home visiting obesity prevention intervention in a population of Native-American preschool children. Height-for-weight measures and dietary intake showed that a home visiting program that teaches parents about parenting skills might be a promising obesity prevention intervention.

Development of Supplemental Nutrition Care Program for Women, Infants, and Children in Korea: NutriPlus(+)

A public health nutrition intervention was developed in Korea, modeled after WIC. Using combinations of 11 different food items, six food packages were developed. The intervention included nutrition education and promotion of breastfeeding. The result of a 3-year pilot study will be reported separately, along with the outcomes of the nationwide implementation of the NutriPlus(+) nutrition education program in 2008

Infant Feeding Pattern in the First Six Months of Age in USA: A Follow-Up Study

Participation in the supplemental nutrition program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) was related to a 16% lower proportion of direct breastfeeding (DBF) - however, majority of the participants in the study did not participante in WIC.

Perceptions About Care Coordination Between Pediatricians and Women, Infants and Children (wic) for Early Childhood Obesity Prevention

WIC parents often recieve information, including preventative care, parenting advice and nutrition information from multipile both pediatricians and WIC clinics. This article evaluates the perspectives of pediatricians and WIC nutritionists about the opportunites and barriers of coordinating care.

Integrating Obstetrical Care and WIC Nutritional Services to Address Maternal Obesity and Postpartum Weight Retention

In this trial fifty-three African-American women were randomized into the intervention and control groups. Intervention participants retained significantly less gestational weight gain than control participants - proving that an integrated WIC and obstetrical service model is feasible and can limit postpartum weight retention in obese women.