Improving Food Accessibility and Reducing Barriers: A WIC food benefits redemption study in North Georgia.
Abstract
The Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, also known as the child nutrition authorization bill mandated all WIC agencies to transition to electronic benefit transfer by October 2020. The Georgia Womens, Infants, & Childrens (WIC) Special Supplemental Nutrition Program modernized the process of issuing and redeeming food benefits statewide in Fall 2022. The WIC Program transitioned from issuing food benefits on paper vouchers to utilizing electronic benefits transfer, otherwise known as the eWIC card. Through literature review of a study completed in Oklahoma, 17.3 % of participants do not redeem all benefits issued resulting in participants not utilizing the full nutritional benefit of the prescribed food package. This study analyzes the specific WIC foods not redeemed by WIC families and the resident county located in the North Georgia Health District.
Methods: A sample population was randomly selected from the North Georgia WIC program. The selection process included all households that eligibility was scheduled to be reassessed in June 2024 and received benefits issuance in the month of September 2023. A sample size of 668 households were included in the study. Customer Service Representatives completed phone surveys to collect household information. Thirty -six WIC households participated in the survey with more surveys to be completed.
Results: The survey provided detailed feedback on food redemption and loss of benefits. The preliminary results of the telephone survey identified whole grains as the least redeemed food across the district. Dislike for the food item was the primary reason for failure to redeem food items. The survey study results will be evaluated by District staff to determine if changes need to be implemented in Local Agency clinics through participant nutrition education provided, or the process of utilizing eWIC card benefits.
Conclusion: The eWIC card use has reduced barriers around WIC food purchases. WIC participants choose food items based on their likes and dislikes. Non-redeemed food items continue to affect the Georgia WIC program. Additional research is needed to identify the influential factors around food preferences.
Keywords
Nutrition, WIC, benefit redemption, food accessibility
Improving Food Accessibility and Reducing Barriers: A WIC food benefits redemption study in North Georgia.
The Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, also known as the child nutrition authorization bill mandated all WIC agencies to transition to electronic benefit transfer by October 2020. The Georgia Womens, Infants, & Childrens (WIC) Special Supplemental Nutrition Program modernized the process of issuing and redeeming food benefits statewide in Fall 2022. The WIC Program transitioned from issuing food benefits on paper vouchers to utilizing electronic benefits transfer, otherwise known as the eWIC card. Through literature review of a study completed in Oklahoma, 17.3 % of participants do not redeem all benefits issued resulting in participants not utilizing the full nutritional benefit of the prescribed food package. This study analyzes the specific WIC foods not redeemed by WIC families and the resident county located in the North Georgia Health District.
Methods: A sample population was randomly selected from the North Georgia WIC program. The selection process included all households that eligibility was scheduled to be reassessed in June 2024 and received benefits issuance in the month of September 2023. A sample size of 668 households were included in the study. Customer Service Representatives completed phone surveys to collect household information. Thirty -six WIC households participated in the survey with more surveys to be completed.
Results: The survey provided detailed feedback on food redemption and loss of benefits. The preliminary results of the telephone survey identified whole grains as the least redeemed food across the district. Dislike for the food item was the primary reason for failure to redeem food items. The survey study results will be evaluated by District staff to determine if changes need to be implemented in Local Agency clinics through participant nutrition education provided, or the process of utilizing eWIC card benefits.
Conclusion: The eWIC card use has reduced barriers around WIC food purchases. WIC participants choose food items based on their likes and dislikes. Non-redeemed food items continue to affect the Georgia WIC program. Additional research is needed to identify the influential factors around food preferences.
