Does Prenatal WIC Participation Improve Child Outcomes?

46 Pages Posted: 13 Jun 2018 Last revised: 19 Dec 2024

See all articles by Anna Chorniy

Anna Chorniy

Northwestern University

Janet Currie

Princeton University; National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER); Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA)

Lyudmyla Sonchak

SUNY Oswego

Date Written: June 2018

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

Chorniy, Anna and Currie, Janet and Sonchak, Lyudmyla, Does Prenatal WIC Participation Improve Child Outcomes? (June 2018). NBER Working Paper No. w24691, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3194740

Anna Chorniy (Contact Author)

Northwestern University ( email )

2001 Sheridan Road
Evanston, IL 60208
United States

Janet Currie

Princeton University ( email )

Princeton, NJ 08544-1021
United States
6092587393 (Phone)

HOME PAGE: http://www.princeton.edu/~jcurrie

National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) ( email )

1050 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02138
United States

Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA)

P.O. Box 7240
Bonn, D-53072
Germany

Lyudmyla Sonchak

SUNY Oswego ( email )

7060 NY-104
Oswego, NY 13126
United States

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