This study examines the relationship between child participation in WIC to Medicaid costs and use of healthcare services in North Carolina. Medicaid-enrolled children participating in the WIC Program showed greater use of all types of healthcare services, compared with Medicaid-enrolled children who were not WIC participants.
The authors researched the development and randomized evaluation of a tailored nutrition education CD-ROM program for WIC Program participants in North Carolina. Their findings suggested that one session of an interactive CD-ROM program could impact mediators of dietary change, but it was insufficient to change behavior.
The authors examines dietary intake of pregnant women using the Diet Quality Index for Pregnancy (DQI-P), a new index developed to reflect current nutritional recommendations for pregnancy and national dietary guidelines. The highest overall DQI-P scores were identified in women who were older than 30, above 350% of the poverty level, nulliparous, and high school graduates. Additionally, higher-income, older, and better-educated women consumed higher amounts of vegetables. But, black, low-income, and nulliparous women consumed greater intakes of folate and iron.
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.
This study investigated the effect of breastfeeding on long-term postpartum weight retention of participants in the North Carolina WIC Program. The research revealed less long-term weight retention among mothers who had breastfed for at least 20 weeks.
The objective of this study was to examine racial, ethnic, and regional (rural versus urban) trends in breastfeeding initiation among low-income women in North Carolina, from 2003 to 2007. The research determined that women in rural areas, particularly non-Hispanic blacks, were less likely to initiate breastfeeding. Increased emphasis should be placed on developing breastfeeding interventions for rural communities, particularly targeting the non-Hispanic black population.
The purpose of the study was to examine the effects of knowledge and confidence on dental referral practices among WIC nutritionists in North Carolina. The study showed that the more confident WIC nutritionists felt about their ability to assess oral health risk, the more likely they were to make dental referrals. Because a child's first point of contact with a health professional is frequently at a WIC clinic, WIC workers might improve children's access to dental care, by providing screenings and referrals.
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.
The study implemented a farmers market near a WIC clinic for 24 weeks with 12 WIC armers and increased redemption from 51.3% - 62.9% in a North Carolina County,
Guidance for local North Carolina WIC agencies on how to deliver WIC services in line with North Carolina Division of Public Health – Nutrition Services Branch policies and procedures.
