Diaper need — an underrecognized social driver of health

Unmet diaper need is a prevalent but underrecognized social driver of health that is not addressed by governmental social safety-net programs. Families facing such need report increased stress and missed work among caregivers, increased diaper dermatitis in children, and exacerbation of family insecurity with regard to basic needs.

Our primary care clinic serves more than 11,000 families predominantly living in census tracts with the highest rates of childhood poverty and the most concentrated Black and Hispanic poverty among U.S. cities with populations of more than 100,000. The 2019–2023 census data indicated that the poverty rate among children in Syracuse is 46%.