J Acad Nutr Diet. 2024 Mar;124(3):372-378. doi: 10.1016/j.jand.2023.09.019. Epub 2023 Oct 4.
Availability of benefits and expanded flexibilities to obtain formula, granted by the US Department of Agriculture shortly after the onset of infant formula shortage in February 2022, could have mitigated adverse experiences related to the shortage in Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) families.
To examine association of household WIC participation with formula shortage experiences and coping strategies adopted by families using Household Pulse Survey data.
Cross-sectional.
The current study utilized Phase 3.7 of the Household Pulse Survey with the following data collection periods: December 9 through 19, 2022, January 4 through 16, 2023, and February 1 through 13, 2023. The primary analytic sample (N = 1,542) consisted of households with income ≤185% of the federal poverty level and children younger than age 18 months.
Experiences and coping strategies during the formula shortage.
Logistic regression examined associations of WIC participation with odds of being affected by formula shortage and difficulty in obtaining formula during the past week. Among those affected by the shortage, association of WIC participation with odds of utilizing coping strategies was examined.
No statistically significant differences were observed in the rates of being affected by formula shortage and having difficulty in obtaining formula during the past week between WIC participants and income-eligible nonparticipants. However, among those affected by the shortage, WIC participation was related to significantly lower odds of using suboptimal practices as a coping strategy (odds ratio 0.38, 95% CI 0.20 to 0.71; P = 0.003). WIC participants also had significantly higher odds of solely changing formula type, brand, or method of receipt (odds ratio 2.63, 95% CI 1.20 to 5.73; P = 0.02).
Findings from this study suggest that WIC participants may have utilized more optimal coping strategies during the infant formula shortage compared with income-eligible nonparticipants. Additional research is needed to determine whether or not these findings could be attributed to expanded flexibilities to maximize formula access among WIC participants during the shortage.
美国农业部在 2022 年 2 月婴儿配方奶粉短缺开始后不久提供的福利和扩大获取配方的灵活性，可能减轻了特殊补充营养计划妇女、婴儿和儿童（WIC）家庭与短缺相关的不良体验。
使用家庭脉搏调查数据，研究家庭 WIC 参与与配方短缺体验以及家庭采用的应对策略之间的关联。
横断面研究。
本研究利用家庭脉搏调查的第 3.7 阶段，数据收集时间为：2022 年 12 月 9 日至 19 日、2023 年 1 月 4 日至 16 日和 2023 年 2 月 1 日至 13 日。主要分析样本（N=1542）由收入≤联邦贫困水平的 185%且儿童年龄小于 18 个月的家庭组成。
配方短缺期间的体验和应对策略。
逻辑回归检查 WIC 参与与过去一周受配方短缺影响和获得配方困难的几率之间的关联。在受短缺影响的人群中，检查 WIC 参与与使用应对策略的几率之间的关联。
在过去一周受配方短缺影响和获得配方困难的比例方面，WIC 参与者和符合收入条件的非参与者之间没有统计学上的显著差异。然而，在受短缺影响的人群中，WIC 参与与采用次优做法作为应对策略的几率显著降低相关（比值比 0.38，95%置信区间 0.20 至 0.71；P=0.003）。WIC 参与者也更有可能仅改变配方类型、品牌或获取方法（比值比 2.63，95%置信区间 1.20 至 5.73；P=0.02）。
本研究结果表明，与符合收入条件的非参与者相比，WIC 参与者在婴儿配方奶粉短缺期间可能采用了更优的应对策略。需要进一步研究以确定这些发现是否可以归因于 WIC 参与者在短缺期间扩大灵活性以最大限度地获得配方。
