Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41452553›Full record

ArticleMaternal and child health journal2026

A Cross-Sectional Study on the Impact of Diaper Distribution by Diaper Banks on Child Health and Economic Impacts to Society.

Kelley E C Massengale, Lynn H Comer, Peter Gunther, Fred Carstensen, Joanne S Goldblum, Megan V Smith

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Article in Maternal and child health journal, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

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0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Observational
4 · The record

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PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Kelley E C MassengaleNational Diaper Bank Network, 470 James St. Suite 007, New Haven, CT, 06513, USA. kelley@diaperbanknetwork.org.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2868-2472
Lynn H ComerNational Diaper Bank Network, 470 James St. Suite 007, New Haven, CT, 06513, USA.
Peter GuntherConnecticut Center for Economic Analysis, School of Business, University of Connecticut, 2100 Hillside Rd, Storrs, CT, USA.
Fred CarstensenConnecticut Center for Economic Analysis, School of Business, University of Connecticut, 2100 Hillside Rd, Storrs, CT, USA.
Joanne S GoldblumNational Diaper Bank Network, 470 James St. Suite 007, New Haven, CT, 06513, USA.
Megan V SmithNational Diaper Bank Network, 470 James St. Suite 007, New Haven, CT, 06513, USA.

Funding

The Seedlings Foundation The Seedlings Foundation
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveTo document the impact of diaper banks' provision of free diapers on diaper dermatitis incidence and related treatment, as well as quantify the societal burden of diaper insecurity and the cost of addressing it.

methodsThe present study was a cross-sectional study of diaper bank recipient households. Data were collected from July 2021 to April 2022. Participating diaper banks (n = 65), located across the United States, were members of the National Diaper Bank Network. A sample of parents/caregivers (n = 5,598) receiving free diaper bank products for a child in their home completed anonymous surveys in English and Spanish.

resultsChildren's ages ranged 0-47 months old, average 23.9 months. Most children had Medicaid healthcare coverage (80.7%; n = 5,154) or were uninsured (9.4%; n = 647). Fewer children experienced diaper dermatitis after receiving diaper bank products (p < .001) resulting in fewer healthcare visits and treatments (p < .001). Overall, participants reported children receiving diaper bank products experienced 41% fewer cases of diaper rash and 50% fewer cases of severe diaper rash. The annual cost of providing each child with a supplemental supply of diaper bank diapers ($211.56) is smaller than the annual societal cost of diaper insecurity ($659.10). CONCLUSIONS FOR PRACTICE: The distribution of diapers by community diaper banks reduces the burden of pediatric illness and associated healthcare costs. Pediatric healthcare professionals and public practitioners are in an optimal position to screen for diaper need and refer to local diaper banks and diaper resources. Addressing diaper insecurity has implications for reducing the burden of social isolation and caregiver mental health.

Indexed as

Child HealthDiaper RashDiapers, InfantChild, PreschoolCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHumansInfantInfant, NewbornMaleSurveys and QuestionnairesUnited StatesBasic needs banksDiaper banksDiaper dermatitisDiaper insecurityDiaper need

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.