Newsletter
Contact
During the COVID-19 pandemic, policies either mitigated or exacerbated inequities in child health. Existing research has focused on evaluating the effects of federal and state COVID-19-related policies; however, understanding the role of local county policies is also critical to informing current and future policymaking to support child nutrition and health. This study will link data from the NIH-funded US COVID-19 County Policy (UCCP) Database with national survey data to 1) assess how county policies affected child nutrition and health; and 2) conduct subgroup analyses to assess how policies affected disparities in outcomes among vulnerable subgroups of children.
Start Date: June 2023
ID #: 283-5110
Principal Investigator: Rita Hamad, MD, PhD
Co-Principal Investigator: Hilary Seligman, MD, MAS
Organization: Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Funding Round: ARPA2
Age Groups: Adolescents (grades 9 to 12), Elementary-age children (grades K to 5), Pregnant women, infants and toddlers (ages 0 to 2), Preschool-age children (ages 3 to 5), Young adolescents (grades 6 to 8)
Keywords: COVID-19, Equity and disparities, Food insecurity, Healthy weight, Housing, Law/policy, Poverty & economic well-being, Supportive family policies
Resource Type: Grant Summary
State: National
Focus Area: Nutrition Policy & Programs
Related Research
October 2026
Cross-Sectional Evaluation of WIC Participation Status and Massachusetts Children’s Nutrition after the Cash-Value Benefit Increase
The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) increased the Cash-Value Benefit (CVB) for fruits and vegetables in 2021. Although WIC participants reported increased purchasing, consumption, and variety of fruits and vegetables after the CVB increase, it is unknown whether this resulted in higher fruit and vegetable intake relative to nonparticipants. The MoreOctober 2026
An Electronic Health Record-Based Intervention to Facilitate Primary Care Referrals to the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children: Retrospective Cohort Study
This study evaluated responses to an electronic health record (EHR)-embedded federal nutrition program (FNP) participation screening and WIC referral tool implemented within 8 clinics during well-child visits for children younger than 5 years of age. Structured EHR data from July 2020 to October 2023 were extracted to summarize screening, referral acceptance, WIC enrollment outcomes, and MoreSeptember 2026