Just 35% of Arkansas residents who qualify to take part in a federal nutrition assistance program do so. That’s despite the fact Arkansas tops the list of states for food insecurity at a rate of 19%, nearly four times higher than the national average of 5.1%. That’s according to a recent report conducted by the USDA’s Economic Research Services.
As Little Rock Public Radio reports, Arkansas has the second lowest participation rate in the country for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC). The USDA says the national participation rate in the U.S. stands at 51%, a full 16% higher than the rate in Arkansas, as the Arkansas Advocate reports.
This week, researchers at the University of Arkansas for Medical Services (UAMS) announced that raising Arkansas’ WIC participation rate could be key to improving maternal and infant health, with both groups in Arkansas having among the highest mortality rates in the country.
The UAMS statement also explains that there is “confusion when it comes to eligibility criteria, especially for those who don’t qualify for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) because their gross income is above 130% of the federal poverty guidelines.” Yet many are unaware that they can still qualify for WIC because their income falls below 185% of the federal poverty guidelines.
The researchers say expanding awareness and improving access to the WIC program are both critical to boosting participation. They recommend strategies which include “focused outreach to specific underserved communities, improvements in culturally appropriate food options and flexibility for individual preferences of food,” along with increased education about the types of food covered by WIC, availability of those foods, and “Support for overcoming logistical challenges such as language and transportation barriers."
The scientists’ report, “Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Participation during Pregnancy: Racial/ethnic Inequities among Medicaid‑Covered Asian, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, and Hispanic Women,” was published in the Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities. To learn more, visit communityhealth.uams.edu.
