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Does Prenatal WIC Participation Improve Child Outcomes?

Author

Listed:
  • Anna V. Chorniy
  • Janet Currie
  • Lyudmyla Sonchak

Abstract

Large literatures document positive effects of WIC on birth outcomes, and separately connect health at birth and future outcomes. But little research investigates the link between prenatal WIC participation and childhood outcomes. We explore this question using a unique data set from South Carolina which links administrative birth, Medicaid, and education records. We find that relative to their siblings, prenatal WIC participants have a lower incidence of ADHD and other common childhood mental health conditions and of grade repetition. These findings demonstrate that a “WIC start” results in persistent improvements in child outcomes across a range of domains.

Suggested Citation

  • Anna V. Chorniy & Janet Currie & Lyudmyla Sonchak, 2018. "Does Prenatal WIC Participation Improve Child Outcomes?," NBER Working Papers 24691, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:24691
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    Cited by:

    1. Gabriella Conti & Sören Kliem & Malte Sandner, 2024. "Early Home Visiting Delivery Model and Maternal and Child Mental Health at Primary School Age," AEA Papers and Proceedings, American Economic Association, vol. 114, pages 401-406, May.
    2. Katherine Meckel & Maya Rossin-Slater & Lindsey Uniat, 2023. "Efficiency versus Equity in the Provision of In-Kind Benefits: Evidence from Cost Containment in the California WIC Program," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 58(2), pages 363-392.
    3. Amelia A. Hawkins & Christopher A. Hollrah & Sarah Miller & Laura R. Wherry & Gloria Aldana & Mitchell D. Wong, 2023. "The Long-Term Effects of Income for At-Risk Infants: Evidence from Supplemental Security Income," NBER Working Papers 31746, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    4. Costa-Ramón, Ana & Daysal, N. Meltem & Rodríguez-González, Ana, 2023. "The Oral Contraceptive Pill and Adolescents' Mental Health," IZA Discussion Papers 16288, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    5. Tim Bersak & Lyudmyla Sonchak‐Ardan, 2022. "Prenatal care: Mechanisms and impacts on infant health and health care utilization," Contemporary Economic Policy, Western Economic Association International, vol. 40(1), pages 48-65, January.
    6. Yan, Ji, 2022. "Is WIC effective in improving pregnancy-related outcomes? An empirical reassessment," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 47(C).
    7. Doyle, Mary-Alice, 2023. "Seasonal patterns in newborns’ health: quantifying the roles of climate, communicable disease, economic and social factors," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 119971, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    8. Grossman, Daniel & Khalil, Umair, 2022. "Neighborhood crime and infant health," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 130(C).
    9. Laura Tach & Elizabeth Day, 2023. "Better Together? Multiplier and Spillover Effects in Two-Generation Initiatives," The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, , vol. 706(1), pages 193-223, March.
    10. Douglas L. Miller & Na’ama Shenhav & Michel Grosz, 2023. "Selection into Identification in Fixed Effects Models, with Application to Head Start," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 58(5), pages 1523-1566.
    11. Reader, Mary Patricia, 2021. "The birthweight effects of universal child benefits in pregnancy: quasi-experimental evidence from England and Wales," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 121528, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    12. Li, Xuemei & Saitone, Tina L. & Sexton, Richard J., 2022. "Impacts of Electronic Benefit Transfer on the Women, Infants and Children Program: Evidence from Oklahoma," Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Western Agricultural Economics Association, vol. 47(2), May.
    13. Mary Reader, 2021. "The birthweight effects of universal child benefits in pregnancy: quasi-experimental evidence from England and Wales," CASE Papers /222, Centre for Analysis of Social Exclusion, LSE.
    14. Evan D. Peet & Dana Schultz & Susan Lovejoy & Fuchiang (Rich) Tsui, 2023. "Variation in the infant health effects of the women, infants, and children program by predicted risk using novel machine learning methods," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 32(1), pages 194-217, January.
    15. Nobles, Jenna & Hamoudi, Amar, 2019. "Detecting the Effects of Early-Life Exposures: Why Fecundity Matters," SocArXiv x4zm6, Center for Open Science.
    16. Doyle, Mary-Alice, 2023. "Seasonal patterns in newborns’ health: Quantifying the roles of climate, communicable disease, economic and social factors," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 51(C).
    17. Jenna Nobles & Amar Hamoudi, 2019. "Detecting the Effects of Early-Life Exposures: Why Fecundity Matters," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 38(6), pages 783-809, December.
    18. Janet Currie, 2020. "Child health as human capital," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 29(4), pages 452-463, April.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • I18 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health
    • I38 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - Government Programs; Provision and Effects of Welfare Programs

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