Journal of Community Health
2019

The Nutrition Benefits Participation Gap: Barriers to Uptake of SNAP and WIC Among Latinx American Immigrant Families (Article)

Pelto D.J. , Ocampo A. , Garduño-Ortega O. , Barraza López C.T. , Macaluso F. , Ramirez J. , González J. , Gany F.*
  • a Immigrant Health and Cancer Disparities Service, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 485 Lexington Avenue, Second Floor, New York, NY 10017, United States
  • b Immigrant Health and Cancer Disparities Service, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 485 Lexington Avenue, Second Floor, New York, NY 10017, United States
  • c Immigrant Health and Cancer Disparities Service, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 485 Lexington Avenue, Second Floor, New York, NY 10017, United States
  • d Immigrant Health and Cancer Disparities Service, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 485 Lexington Avenue, Second Floor, New York, NY 10017, United States
  • e Immigrant Health and Cancer Disparities Service, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 485 Lexington Avenue, Second Floor, New York, NY 10017, United States
  • f Immigrant Health and Cancer Disparities Service, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 485 Lexington Avenue, Second Floor, New York, NY 10017, United States
  • g Immigrant Health and Cancer Disparities Service, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 485 Lexington Avenue, Second Floor, New York, NY 10017, United States
  • h Immigrant Health and Cancer Disparities Service, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 485 Lexington Avenue, Second Floor, New York, NY 10017, United States

Abstract

To examine nutrition benefit under-enrollment in Latinx American immigrant families, we administered a survey to 100 adults attending a NY Latinx American community serving organization. We used a logistic regression approach to analyze misinformation impact on enrollment, and examined non-enrollment explanations, among participants in whose families a child or pregnant or breastfeeding woman appeared SNAP- or WIC-eligible. Among households (N = 51) with ≥ 1 SNAP-eligible child, 49% had no child enrolled. Reasons included repercussion fears (e.g. payback obligation, military conscription, college aid ineligibility, child removal, non-citizen family member penalties), and logistical barriers. In multivariable regression models, having heard the rumor that SNAP/WIC participation makes unauthorized status family members vulnerable to being reported to the government was associated with an 85% lower enrollment rate (OR 0.15, CI 0.03, 0.94). Misinformation impedes nutrition benefit participation. A multi-level intervention is necessary to inform potential applicants and providers regarding eligibility criteria and erroneous rumors, along with an informed discussion of the risks versus benefits of using resources, especially as public charge criteria change. © 2019, Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.

Author Keywords

public charge WIC nutrition Immigration SNAP

Index Keywords

government female human major clinical study punishment immigrant household army pregnancy Article misinformation Breast Feeding immigration adult human experiment Child
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85074524548&doi=10.1007%2fs10900-019-00765-z&partnerID=40&md5=b70cc6c608ac96ed225dbe39f97bf5e1
DOI: 10.1007/s10900-019-00765-z
ISSN: 00945145
Original Language: English