An exploration of the statutory Healthy Start vitamin supplementation scheme in North West England.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Government nutritional welfare support from the English 'Healthy Start' scheme is targeted at low-income pregnant women and preschool children, but take-up of its free food vouchers is much better than its free vitamin vouchers. While universal implementation probably requires a more extensive scheme to be cost-effective, the everyday experience of different ways of receiving or facilitating Healthy Start, especially via children's centres, also requires further evidence. This study therefore aimed to explore (in the context of low take-up levels) perceptions of mothers, health professionals, and commissioners about Healthy Start vitamin and food voucher take-up and compare experiences in a targeted and a universal implementation-area for those vitamins.

Methods

I

SUBMITTER: Moonan M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8869346 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature