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| LITTLE ROCK — Expanding awareness of the WIC program and improving access to WIC-approved foods could help boost maternal and infant health in Arkansas, according to researchers at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS).
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Arkansas ranks among the worst in the nation for food insecurity and maternal mortality. WIC — the USDA’s Special Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program for Women, Infants and Children — provides free healthy foods, breastfeeding support, nutrition education and other benefits to expectant and new mothers. In Arkansas, utilization of WIC ranks second lowest in the nation at 35%, compared to the national average of 51%.
In one study, researchers analyzed national WIC participation among various racial and ethnic groups. In another, researchers interviewed bilingual, Arkansas-based community health workers (CHWs), who are trusted members of their communities and help individuals and families access health and social services, to evaluate barriers that members of their communities face when accessing WIC benefits.
Researchers found that 40% of WIC-eligible participants in their nationwide study did not participate in the program, with eligible Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander women experiencing the lowest rate of WIC enrollment. Black and Hispanic women had the highest rates of WIC enrollment.
“Our Marshallese communities are truly fortunate to have access to programs like WIC, but its utilization remains low — largely because many of the food options offered are unfamiliar to our people,” said Philmar Mendoza-Kabua, a Marshallese project manager and nurse educator at the UAMS Institute for Community Health Innovation. “In most cases, our mothers only use WIC for infant formula. By incorporating more culturally familiar foods — while still meeting healthy nutrition guidelines — we can dramatically improve WIC participation among Pacific Islanders.
“This simple yet impactful change would not only enhance program engagement but also help improve maternal and child health outcomes across our communities.”
According to a 2023 UAMS study, 80% of Marshallese women and 81% of other Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander women reported needing assistance applying for WIC. Among Hispanic women, 51% reported needing assistance.
CHWs told researchers that WIC generally has an easier enrollment process than other government benefits. WIC usage also carries less stigma for participants than other government assistance programs and is therefore more accepted among various communities. However, CHWs also said many of their clients have experienced confusion when it comes to eligibility criteria and the availability of WIC-approved foods.
“Locally, the Arkansas WIC program has adopted a number of approaches to help mothers sign up for WIC, as well as to use WIC services successfully,” said researcher Clare Brown, Ph.D., MPH, an associate professor in the UAMS Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health. “We also heard that signing up for WIC here in Arkansas is relatively easy, and that was very exciting to hear. Continued support for these important efforts here in Arkansas is critical for ensuring that mothers and infants have access to healthy foods.”
Researchers contend in both studies that increased utilization of WIC could aid in addressing poor infant and maternal health outcomes, particularly in Arkansas, where maternal mortality and morbidity rates continue to be higher than national averages. Researchers recommend strategies such as focused outreach to specific underserved communities; improvements in culturally appropriate food options and flexibility for individual preferences of food; increased education about types of food covered by WIC and increased availability of those foods; and support for overcoming logistical challenges such as language and transportation barriers.
“Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Participation during Pregnancy: Racial/ethnic Inequities among Medicaid‑Covered Asian, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, and Hispanic Women,” was published in the Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities.
“Facilitators and Barriers to Utilization of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program for Women, Infants, and Children Identified by Community Health Workers Serving Hispanic and Marshallese Households,” was published in Health Promotion Practice.
The UAMS Institute for Community Health Innovation facilitates numerous programs to ensure seamless access to quality health care and robust community support for mothers and children in Arkansas through institutional, community based and clinical solutions, as well as connections to community health workers. To learn more, visit communityhealth.uams.edu.
UAMS is the state’s only health sciences university, with colleges of Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Health Professions and Public Health; a graduate school; a hospital; a main campus in Little Rock; a Northwest Arkansas regional campus in Fayetteville; a statewide network of regional campuses; and eight institutes: the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, Jackson T. Stephens Spine & Neurosciences Institute, Harvey & Bernice Jones Eye Institute, Psychiatric Research Institute, Donald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging, Translational Research Institute, Institute for Digital Health & Innovation and the Institute for Community Health Innovation. UAMS includes UAMS Health, a statewide health system that encompasses all of UAMS’ clinical enterprise. UAMS is the only adult Level 1 trauma center in the state. UAMS has 3,485 students, 915 medical residents and fellows, and seven dental residents. It is the state’s largest public employer with more than 11,000 employees, including 1,200 physicians who provide care to patients at UAMS, its regional campuses, Arkansas Children’s, the VA Medical Center and Baptist Health. Visit www.uams.edu or uamshealth.com. Find us on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), YouTube or Instagram.
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