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The new study compares infants born in 2004 to low-income women who
participated in both the WIC and Family Case Management programs
during pregnancy to infants born to low-income women who did not
participate in either program. The infants born to program
participants were 62 percent less likely to be born prematurely, 38
percent less likely to have a low birth weight (less than 5.5
pounds) and had 33 percent lower health care expenditures during the
first year of life. Premature birth was defined as a birth weight of
1,500 grams or less, and low income was defined as eligibility for
services through All Kids, which includes Illinois' Medicaid
program. "These results underscore the benefits of preventive
health care and good nutrition during pregnancy," said Carol L.
Adams, Ph.D., secretary of the Illinois Department of Human
Services. "We are focused on reaching the women who do not engage in
the WIC and Family Case Management programs so that they too realize
the benefits of participation in these programs."
The findings for infant mortality were similar, though not as
recent. In 2002, the most recent data available, the mortality rate
among infants born to program participants was 63 percent lower than
the rate among infants born to low-income women who did not
participate in either program.
This is the eighth year in a row that the rate of premature birth
among program participants has been at least 62 percent lower, the
rate of low birth weight has been at least 35 percent lower, and
average health care expenditures during the first year of life have
been at least 33 percent lower among women who participate in both
programs during pregnancy. It is the sixth year in a row that the
mortality rate has been at least 56 percent lower among infants born
to women who participated in both programs.
"Preventing premature birth is a cornerstone in our strategy to
reduce infant mortality," said Dr. Myrtis Sullivan, the department's
associate director for family health. "Premature infants require
intensive care in the hospital after birth. We can work miracles
compared to 20 years ago. But this care is expensive. Prevention
saves both money and lives."
Infants born to low-income women who did not participate in
either program during pregnancy had an average of $8,956 in health
care expenditures during the first year of life, compared with
$5,989 among infants born to low-income women who participated in
both programs.
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The initial results in 1998 prompted the department to undertake a
significant change in the way that services were organized and
delivered at the community level. The services of both programs are
offered by community-based organizations, including local health
departments, federally qualified health centers and other
community-based social service agencies. The department led efforts
to train the staff of local agencies in the delivery of services for
both programs, integrate patient records and change the way clinics
were operated. All of these steps were taken to make it more
convenient for women to participate in both programs. "These results
show that our approach to integrated, community-based service
delivery pays off in real savings to the taxpayer," Sullivan said.
The WIC program -- the full name of which is the Special
Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children --
provides nutrition education and supplemental foods for low-income
women who are pregnant or breast-feeding and for children under age
5 in low-income families when the mother or child is at risk for
poor nutrition during the critical period of pregnancy and early
childhood.
"The reduction of infant mortality is one of WIC's primary
goals," said Penny Roth, bureau chief for family nutrition. "Studies
in Illinois and across the nation have demonstrated the importance
of good nutrition for women before, during and after pregnancy and
for promoting the healthy growth and development of children."
The WIC program is funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of
Agriculture. Illinois' WIC program serves nearly half a million
people annually in Illinois. More than 40 percent of the state's
newborns participate in the WIC program.
The Family Case Management program helps low-income families with
a pregnant woman or an infant to obtain the health care and other
human services they require. "Family Case Management is all about
linking people to community resources," said Beverly English, the
department's bureau chief for maternal and infant health. "Our local
agencies help women connect to doctors, mental health counseling,
child care, housing, whatever they need to have a healthy pregnancy
and give their newborn the best start in life."
The Family Case Management program is state-funded and supported
by matching funds from the Medicaid program. The Family Case
Management program serves more than 300,000 people each year and,
like WIC, serves more than 40 percent of the state's newborns.
To obtain more information about these and other programs of the
Illinois Department of Human Services, or to find a service provider
in your area, call the department's Customer Care Line at
800-843-6154 or visit
www.dhs.state.il.us.
[Illinois
Department of Human Services news release] |
