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. 2024 May 16;10(10):e31344.
doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e31344. eCollection 2024 May 30.

Diaper need in the United States: A nationally representative study during the COVID-19 pandemic

Emily H Belarmino  1   2   3 , Carollyne M Conway  4 , Jane Kolodinsky  2   5   6   3 , Kaya M Daylor  7 , Emma Spence  3
Affiliations

Diaper need in the United States: A nationally representative study during the COVID-19 pandemic

Emily H Belarmino et al. Heliyon. .

Abstract

Background: Diapers represent a unique financial burden for those with young children. Pre-pandemic, approximately one in three U.S. households with young children reported diaper need or an insufficient supply of diapers. To support this population, policymakers, clinicians, and service providers need a better understanding of the groups most commonly affected and the ways that families cope with deprivation.

Methods: An online survey was administered between February and July 2021 to a national sample of U.S. caregivers of at least one child aged 0-4 years in diapers (n = 881), investigating diaper need, diaper access, and how household expenses are balanced and prioritized vis-à-vis diapers. We use bivariate and multivariable models to assess factors associated with diaper need, and examine coping strategies, tradeoffs made to purchase diapers, and how caregivers would reallocate their money if diapers were accounted for.

Findings: The prevalence of diaper need (46 %) exceeded pre-pandemic estimates. Diaper need was more prevalent among Hispanic respondents, lower income respondents, cloth diaper users, those with more than one child in diapers, caretakers with depression, and those with a negative financial change in the past year. Caretakers with diaper need were more likely to utilize a range of resources to access diapers and to use diapers for longer than desired to extend their supply. Those with diaper need also made more economic tradeoffs to afford diapers and indicated that they would reallocate resources to cover other unmet basic needs if they did not have to buy diapers.

Interpretation: Our results indicate elevated levels of diaper need even after the U.S. economy had largely rebounded and raise concerns that inequities in diaper access may impact families' abilities to meet other basic needs. Diapers may be an important target for policies and interventions aimed at improving the well-being of families with young children.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: 10.13039/100011633Emily H Belarmino reports financial support was provided by the University of Vermont’s Agricultural Experiment Station through the State of Vermont’s appropriation.. Emily H. Belarmino reports a relationship with US Department of Health and Human Services that includes: consulting or advisory. If there are other authors, they declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Sources of diapers used by caregivers with and without diaper need (n = 869) *p < 0.05; ***p < 0.001.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Coping strategies used by caregivers with and without diaper need to extend their supply of diapers (n = 868) ***p < 0.001.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Needs that would be prioritized if the cost of diapers were accounted for, by diaper need status (n = 862) **p < 0.01; ***p < 0.001.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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