For families with babies and toddlers, diapers are a necessity—but they can also be a significant household expense. For some families, keeping an adequate supply of diapers on hand can mean making difficult choices between diapers and other essentials. I am asking local parents and caregivers of children who wear diapers to participate in a brief, anonymous survey.
I am a doctoral student studying Community Engagement at Point Park University. I am conducting dissertation research to better understand diaper need among families in the Fredericksburg region (City of Fredericksburg and Caroline, King George, Spotsylvania, and Stafford counties). My study is designed to better understand families' experiences that may make accessing diapers and other resources more difficult, including transportation, household finances, housing stability, and the availability of community resources. No research study has been conducted in our area before.
It is important to hear from families from all over our health district. Gaining perspective from families with different experiences helps create a more accurate picture of diaper access throughout our community. Findings from the study will be used to better understand where gaps in resources may exist and how communities can more effectively support families with young children. I served as the Volunteer chair for the Diaper Bag, a collaborative program between the Fredericksburg Area Service League and Fredericksburg Regional Food Bank; my goal is to revitalize this program and these surveys will help in that effort.
If you are a parent or caregiver of a child who wears diapers, I hope you will consider taking a few minutes to participate. The survey is available in English and Spanish, and responses are anonymous Every response helps us better understand what families in our region need.
The survey is available here.
