WIC Staff Views and Perceptions on the Relationship between Food Insecurity and Perinatal Depression

Food insecurity and perinatal depression are significant public health concerns for perinatal services, however descriptive research examining their association is limited. The purpose of this study was to examine the views and perspectives of staff from the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program on the relationship between food insecurity and perinatal depression among their WIC clients. Four, semi-structured focus groups with WIC staff (n = 24) were conducted across four diverse nonmetropolitan public health districts in Midwestern counties in the United States. WIC staff included social workers, nurses, nutritionists and ancillary staff. All interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and verified, and data were organized using NVivo 11.4.2. Thematic networking analysis was employed as the qualitative analysis to identify organizing themes. Three themes emerged including (1) depression experienced by clients; (2) food insecurity experienced by clients; and (3) barriers preventing clients from accessing services for themselves and their children. Research on food insecurity and perinatal depression is sparse, with fewer studies having included health staff of low-income women. Our findings suggest that the association between food insecurity and mental health needs among WIC clients is a significant public health issue to which policy change and interventions are required.