Going forward in this course I would like to begin to study low-income pregnant and immediately post-partum women, specifically those that qualify for the WIC program. I chose this population because it is both narrowly and clearly defined. It also comes with a unique set of problems and factors to be addressed. In general, WIC participants are of all races, with racial breakdowns generally reflecting the area in which the WIC office is located. They are all of lower socioeconomic class, and all have demonstrated a nutritional need.
Women will be included and excluded from this population based on several criteria. The WIC inclusion criteria are very specific, and by tailoring the population to only adult female WIC participants it is quite easy to dictate exactly who is in the population for study. WIC participants must be women who are either pregnant or less than 1 year post-partum, or infants and children between one and five years of age (Nelson, Carpenter & Chiassen 2006). They must be below 185% of the United States national poverty level (“WIC Eligibility Requirements 2014). For my purposes, I choose to examine only the women served by WIC. They fall within the income guidelines, and are either pregnant, breastfeeding and up to one year post-partum, or non-breastfeeding and up to six months post-partum.
This population is composed of individuals with a variety of defining characteristics and risk factors. They are, by definition, of lower socioeconomic classes. Given that they are below 185% of the poverty line, they are by definition at economic disadvantage. Being pregnant defines them has having a medical risk, for while pregnancy is not inherently dangerous, it does come with a set of medical complications that may or may not be present. In addition, pregnant women are at risk of both hypertension and gestational diabetes mellitus (Kotelchuck et. al. 1984). In addition, women in the WIC program are at greater risk of food insecurity, and poor nutrition due to that state (Laraia, Siega-Riz, Gundersen & Dole 2006). They are also generally at risk for suffering from poor nutrition due to food deserts. This is generally amended by the WIC program, but the population is still at risk.
This population is relatively easy to define, but at serious risk, and thus worth examining. It is a population that is frequently studied, but one whose unique risk factors and effects on further generations make such study necessary.
Works Cited:
Kotelchuck, M., Schwartz, J., Anderka, M., Finison, K. (1984). WIC Participation and Pregnancy Outcomes: Massachusetts Statewide Evaluation Project. Journal of American Public Health, 74(10), 1086-1092.
Laraia, B., Siega-Riz, A., Gundersen, C., Dole, N., (2006) Psychosocial Factors and Socioeconomic Indicators Are Associated with Household Food Insecurity among Pregnant Women. Journal of Nutrition, 136(1), 177-182.
Nelson, J., Carpenter, K., Chiasson, M., (2006) Diet, Activity, and Overweight Among Preschool-Age Children Enrolled in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). Prev Chronic Dis. 3(2). A49.
USDA, “WIC Eligibility Requirements” (2014). Retrieved from http://www.fns.usda.gov/wic/wic-eligibility-requirements
