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DOES PRENATAL WIC PARTICIPATION IMPROVE CHILD OUTCOMES?
Anna Chorniy1, Janet Currie2, Lyudmyla Sonchak3
1Northwestern University.
American Journal of Health Economics
|November 12, 2020
Summary
Prenatal participation in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) is linked to better childhood outcomes. WIC participants showed lower rates of ADHD and grade repetition compared to their siblings.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Child Development
- Nutritional Science
Background:
- Extensive research links WIC to improved birth outcomes.
- Existing studies connect infant health to long-term development.
- The impact of prenatal WIC on subsequent childhood outcomes remains under-explored.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between prenatal WIC participation and childhood health and educational outcomes.
- To determine if early nutritional support influences long-term child development.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a unique dataset from South Carolina linking birth, Medicaid, and education records.
- Employed sibling-comparison to control for unobserved family characteristics.
- Analyzed incidence of ADHD, childhood mental health conditions, and grade repetition.
Main Results:
- Prenatal WIC participants exhibited a lower incidence of ADHD compared to their siblings.
- Children with prenatal WIC exposure showed reduced rates of other common childhood mental health conditions.
- Prenatal WIC participation was associated with a lower likelihood of grade repetition.
Conclusions:
- Prenatal WIC participation leads to persistent improvements in child outcomes.
- A "WIC start" positively impacts multiple domains of child development, including mental health and education.
- Findings highlight the long-term benefits of early nutritional interventions.
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