Immigrant and refugee experiences in the Utah WIC program: a qualitative study.

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Nutrition Programs
• Health Equity

Background:

• The Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program provides vital nutritional support to low-income families.
• Enrollment and benefit use in WIC are suboptimal among eligible immigrant and refugee populations.
• Understanding unique challenges faced by these groups is crucial for improving WIC access and equity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the experiences and perceptions of WIC participation among refugee and immigrant families.
• To identify barriers and facilitators to WIC enrollment and benefit utilization.
• To gather recommendations for improving WIC services for diverse populations.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative study employing in-depth interviews with 25 refugee and immigrant families in Northern Utah.
• Interviews focused on WIC enrollment, benefit utilization, and suggestions for improvement.
• Thematic analysis of transcribed and translated interviews using NVivo 14.

Main Results:

• Participants enrolled in WIC primarily due to financial need, often via personal networks.
• Key utilization challenges included language barriers, transportation issues, WIC card difficulties, and lack of culturally appropriate foods.
• Recommendations centered on improved multilingual support, culturally flexible food options, enhanced outreach, and better education on benefit use.

Conclusions:

• Targeted education, language services, and inclusive policies are essential to overcome structural and cultural barriers in WIC.
• Enhancing WIC participation among immigrant and refugee families promotes program equity.
• Future research should examine the long-term impact of interventions and sustained program utilization factors.