Stephanie A Ettinger de Cuba1, Allison R Bovell-Ammon2, John T Cook3, Sharon M Coleman4, Maureen M Black5, Mariana M Chilton6, Patrick H Casey7, Diana B Cutts8, Timothy C Heeren9, Megan T Sandel10, Richard Sheward2, Deborah A Frank11. 1. Department of Pediatrics, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts. Electronic address: sedc@bu.edu. 2. Department of Pediatrics, Boston Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts. 3. Department of Pediatrics, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts. 4. Biostatistics and Epidemiology Data Analytics Center, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts. 5. Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Maryland; RTI International, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. 6. Department of Health Management and Policy, Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 7. Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas. 8. Department of Pediatrics, Hennepin County Medical Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota. 9. Department of Biostatistics, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts. 10. Department of Pediatrics, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Pediatrics, Boston Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Environmental Health, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts. 11. Department of Pediatrics, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Pediatrics, Boston Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Community Health Sciences, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is the largest nutrition assistance program in the U.S. This study's objective was to examine the associations between SNAP participation and young children's health and development, caregiver health, and family economic hardships. METHODS: Cross-sectional data from 2006 to 2016 were analyzed in 2017 for families with children aged <3 years in 5 cities. Generalized estimating equations and logistic regression were used to evaluate the associations of SNAP participation with child and caregiver health outcomes and food insecurity, forgone health care, and health cost sacrifices. Nonparticipants that were likely to be eligible for SNAP were compared with SNAP participants and analyses adjusted for covariates including Consumer Price Index for food to control for site-specific food prices. RESULTS: The adjusted odds of fair or poor child health status (AOR=0.92, 95% CI=0.86, 0.98), developmental risk (AOR=0.82, 95% CI=0.69, 0.96), underweight, and obesity in children were lower among SNAP participants than among nonparticipants. In addition, food insecurity in households and among children, and health cost sacrifices were lower among SNAP participants than among nonparticipants. CONCLUSIONS: Participation in SNAP is associated with reduced household and child food insecurity, lower odds of poor health and growth and developmental risk among infants and toddlers, and reduced hardships because of healthcare costs for their families. Improved SNAP participation and increased SNAP benefits that match the regional cost of food may be effective preventive health strategies for promoting the well-being of families with young children.
INTRODUCTION: The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is the largest nutrition assistance program in the U.S. This study's objective was to examine the associations between SNAP participation and young children's health and development, caregiver health, and family economic hardships. METHODS: Cross-sectional data from 2006 to 2016 were analyzed in 2017 for families with children aged <3 years in 5 cities. Generalized estimating equations and logistic regression were used to evaluate the associations of SNAP participation with child and caregiver health outcomes and food insecurity, forgone health care, and health cost sacrifices. Nonparticipants that were likely to be eligible for SNAP were compared with SNAP participants and analyses adjusted for covariates including Consumer Price Index for food to control for site-specific food prices. RESULTS: The adjusted odds of fair or poor child health status (AOR=0.92, 95% CI=0.86, 0.98), developmental risk (AOR=0.82, 95% CI=0.69, 0.96), underweight, and obesity in children were lower among SNAP participants than among nonparticipants. In addition, food insecurity in households and among children, and health cost sacrifices were lower among SNAP participants than among nonparticipants. CONCLUSIONS: Participation in SNAP is associated with reduced household and child food insecurity, lower odds of poor health and growth and developmental risk among infants and toddlers, and reduced hardships because of healthcare costs for their families. Improved SNAP participation and increased SNAP benefits that match the regional cost of food may be effective preventive health strategies for promoting the well-being of families with young children.
Authors: Marianna S Wetherill; Micah L Hartwell; Mary B Williams; Kayla C White; Amanda W Harrist; Shiraya Proffitt; Eileen Bradshaw Journal: Soc Work Public Health Date: 2021-09-01
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