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Mapping a WIC Mother’s Journey

Authors :
William M. Sappenfield
Tali Schneider
Martha L. Coulter
Rhonda Goff
Anthony D. Panzera
Kathleen O'Rourke
Russell S. Kirby
Julie A. Baldwin
Ashley Napier
Carol A. Bryant
Fran Hawkins
Source :
Social Marketing Quarterly. 23:137-154
Publication Year :
2017
Publisher :
SAGE Publications, 2017.

Abstract

While the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) provides numerous benefits to many enrolled families across the United States, including access to nutritious foods, some recent drops in maternal participation in Kentucky resulted from failures to retrieve those benefits. We explored perceived benefits of and encountered barriers to food benefit retrieval. Journey mapping included direct observations of client appointments, clinic lobby areas, and a shopping experience and was augmented with focus groups conducted in two urban and two rural areas. Major touchpoints before WIC appointments, during those appointments at clinics, and after appointments when redeeming food benefits were identified. Across touchpoints, mothers identified childcare, transportation issues, long waits, confusion regarding eligibility, problems scheduling appointments, and stigma as barriers to their ability to retrieve food instruments. Despite these barriers mothers value the benefits of WIC, especially access to healthy foods, infant formula, and nutrition education. This work demonstrates a method by which WIC mothers’ experiences shed light on client service shortfalls and possible opportunities to improve client services.

Details

ISSN :
15394093 and 15245004
Volume :
23
Database :
OpenAIRE
Journal :
Social Marketing Quarterly
Accession number :
edsair.doi...........4e88c3c924eac016d150a79cfac7deac
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1177/1524500417692526