Association of the COVID-19 Pandemic With Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Receipt Among Pregnant Individuals: United States, 2016-2022.

Abstract

<b>Objectives.</b> To evaluate the effect of COVID-19 on Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) receipt among pregnant individuals overall and by race/ethnicity. <b>Methods.</b> We measured changes in WIC receipt among Medicaid-covered births (n = 10 484 697) from the US National Center for Health Statistics Natality Files (2016-2022). Our interrupted time series logistic model included a continuous monthly variable, a binary post-COVID variable, and a continuous slope shift variable. We additionally fit separate models for each race/ethnicity relative to White individuals, using interaction terms between the time series variables and race/ethnicity. <b>Results.</b> We found decreases in WIC receipt (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 0.899; <i>P</i> < .001) from before COVID (66.6%) to after COVID (57.9%). There were larger post-COVID decreases for American Indian/Alaska Native (AOR = 0.850; <i>P</i> < .001), Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander (AOR = 0.877; <i>P</i> = .003), Black (AOR = 0.974; <i>P</i> < .001), and Hispanic (AOR = 0.972, <i>P</i> < .001) individuals relative to White individuals. <b>Conclusions.</b> The greater reductions in WIC receipt among minoritized individuals highlights a pathway through which the pandemic may have widened gaps in already disparate maternal and infant health. <b>Public Health Implications.</b> Continued efforts to increase WIC utilization are needed overall and among minoritized populations. (<i>Am J Public Health</i>. 2023;113(S3):S240-S247. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2023.307525).