These authors explored whether work or immigration concerns affected women's participation in the WIC Program. Results showed that non-collection of checks was associated with job conflicts, transportation or illness problems, and check distribution policies.
This study assessed the feasibility and efficacy of the Active Families Program, developed to increase outdoor play and decrease television viewing among preschool-aged children enrolled in the WIC Program. Compared with the children at baseline, the children at follow-up were more likely to watch television less than 2 hours per day and play outdoors for at least 60 minutes per day.
This study identified barriers that deterred parents/caretakers of infants and children enrolled in the WIC Program from taking full advantage of the services provided by the program. Waiting too long was the most frequently cited barrier (48%). Difficulties in bringing the infant/child to recertify and rescheduling appointments were key variables associated with failure to use (i.e., pick up or cash) WIC checks.
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.
The researchers examines the effects of prenatal participation in the New York State WIC Program on birth weight through enhanced control of selection bias and gestational age bias. Adjusted estimates showed a significant positive effect of longer prenatal WIC participation on birth outcomes for all of the groups studied.
This study aimed to assess maternal perception of infant-feeding cues and pressuring feeding styles in an urban Latina WIC population. The results suggested that most mothers perceived that babies sensed their own satiety. Two perceptions of feeding cues were related to pressuring feeding style: the beliefs that (1) infant crying must indicate hunger and that (2) infant hand sucking implies hunger. Improving responsiveness to infant cues should be a component of early childhood obesity prevention.
This study was conducted to explore the breastfeeding conceptions and practices of low-income African-American and Puerto Rican women. researchers determined that breastfeeding &l ambivalence ; plays a critical role in driving thought and action in women lives. This ambivalence erodes the permanence of breastfeeding intention, challenging breastfeeding promotion strategies.
The author explored infant-feeding beliefs and experiences of black women enrolled in WIC (BWEW) in a New York metropolitan inner city. The following were among the major themes that emerged from this analysis: (1) formula-feeding experiences were the norm for most BWEW; (2) life experiences of BWEW included a preponderance of loss and stress; and (3) infant-feeding beliefs of BWEW reflected responses to life experiences.
This study evaluated an intensive 1-day training program to improve the growth monitoring counseling skills of WIC providers. The researchers; patient-centered approach focused on a seven-step technique that emphasized eliciting the clients perspective on the child's health and negotiating follow-up strategies. Study results suggested that counseling skills of non-physician health providers could change after a 1-day focused training: Providers were more client centered in their discussions. Limitations and implications of the study were also discussed.
