Reduce Stigma, Red Tape to Improve Caregivers’ Access to Federal Nutrition Programs, Study Suggests

Inconvenience and stigma were cited by caregivers as among the top reasons some eligible families decline to receive support from two federal programs that provide essential nutrition support -- the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), according to a study published in the November 2024 Pediatrics. For the study, “Caregiver Perspectives on Improving Government Nutrition Benefit Programs” (published online Oct. 8), researchers interviewed 40 caregivers, predominantly Black mothers, who were current or former beneficiaries of both programs. They identified barriers to participation and highlighted strategies for improving program enrollment and benefit redemption. The research identified four themes related to participation barriers, including: limited product variety available through WIC; inconvenience and stigma associated with identifying and purchasing WIC products: income-based eligibility criteria; and burdensome SNAP enrollment and recertification processes. The participants suggested improvements to boost program participation, including reducing stigma in the enrollment process, decreasing administrative burdens in the renewal process, and improved coordination with health care providers. Researchers suggest that pediatric providers consider partnering with local assistance offices and federal and state policymakers to provide health system-based benefits enrollment support, improve data sharing to reduce redundancy for participants, and advocate for WIC and SNAP programmatic improvements.

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The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 67,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists and pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, safety and well-being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults.