Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Bridging The Gap: Strategies For Enhancing Wic Participation Rates In South Dakota, Melissa K. Wyum

Honors Thesis

The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) is a national program administered by the USDA to State agencies for low-income women and nutritionally at-risk infants and children. South Dakota WIC provides services related to breastfeeding, healthcare referrals, and accessibility/knowledge of nutritious foods. Successes of WIC include improved birth outcomes, decreased healthcare costs, regular immunization rates, establishment of a primary care provider, and improved nutrition status. Although WIC has shown positive health outcomes for mothers and children, the relationship between the barriers of WIC access and resulting health outcomes in South Dakota is unknown. According to the …