Today marks the first day of National Diaper Need Awareness Week, an annual campaign led by the National Diaper Bank Network to raise awareness about a critical but often overlooked public health issue in the United States: diaper need.

Diapers are essential for infant and toddler health and hygiene, yet nearly half of U.S households with young children struggle to afford enough diapers to keep their children clean and healthy. Diapers put a considerable strain on household budgets, costing families an average of $1,000 annually for every child in diapers. 

Since 2018, the cost of diapers has increased by 22%. In Kentucky, families face an additional financial barrier: a 6% state sales tax on diapers. 

When families don’t have enough diapers, both children and parents suffer. 

Parents and caregivers may be forced to reuse dirty diapers or delay changes, which can lead to costly and painful infections like UTIs and diaper rash. In fact, 35% of young children in diaper-insecure families required medical care for a UTI in the past year.

When parents and caregivers struggle to afford enough diapers, their mental health can suffer. Diaper need is associated with elevated parental stress and increased maternal depression. 

Diaper insecurity also keeps parents and caregivers out of work and school. The National Diaper Bank Network found that 1 in 4 parents miss work or school because they can’t afford the diapers required to leave their infant or toddler in childcare. 

National Diaper Need Awareness Week not only shines a light on this issue, but it also highlights solutions. Research shows that increasing access to clean diapers results in: 

  • Improved infant and child health
  • Increased parent/caregiver work and school attendance 
  • Improved parent/caregiver mental health 
  • Increased household income 
  • Reduced medical expenses

Several states including Indiana, Florida, and Texas have eliminated the state sales tax on diapers, helping families access this essential product. In recent years, Kentucky lawmakers have introduced similar legislation, which received bipartisan support, but ultimately fell short of passage. 

We know that the first months and years of life are critical to a child’s development and lifelong health. By ensuring that families have access to basic needs, including access to clean diapers, we can build a better future for Kentucky. 

As we recognize National Diaper Need Awareness Week, we hope that Kentucky will follow the lead of other states by ending the state sales tax on diapers.

 

Photo courtesy of Penpossessed via Dreamstime.com