Nearly half of U.S. families with young children struggle to afford diapers, data released by the National Diaper Bank Network (NDBN) show. NDBN surveys families annually and the new findings are being issued to kick off National Diaper Need Awareness Week, which runs September 23 29 this year.

The NDBN Diaper Check 2024 finds that 47% of U.S. families with young children have difficulty affording diapers. That’s the same rate that was found in 2023. Both surveys were conducted in partnership with the polling firm YouGov. This year’s survey found high rates of symptoms of depression and anxiety among parents who reported diaper need, which is consistent with past research. The NDBN Diaper Check 2024 also found challenges meeting other basic needs, such as housing insecurity or food insecurity, among families experiencing diaper need.

The NDBN Diaper Check 2024 finds that 47% of U.S. families with young children have difficulty affording diapers.

“Diaper need truly is a public health crisis. It causes children to suffer with diaper rash and urinary tract infections. It creates unhealthy stress for parents,” says NDBN CEO Joanne Samuel Goldblum. “Our Network includes more than 240 basic needs banks around the country that distribute free diapers, but a problem of this magnitude can’t be solved by nonprofits alone. Decisive government action must be taken when nearly one in two young families are facing an absolutely preventable hardship.”

In addition to The NDBN Diaper Check release, National Diaper Need Awareness Week is marked by events organized around the country by network members, including the signing of proclamations by governors and mayors; major diaper drives; public education through a variety of channels on diaper need; and recognition of outstanding local leaders with DiaperOn! Awards.

The NDBN Diaper Check 2024 contains disturbing results on the relationship between parental mental health and diaper need. For example, in 56% of families reporting diaper need, the adult who completed the survey reported high-levels of depressive symptoms, indicating probable major depressive disorder. That’s compared with 20% of respondents from families who did not report diaper need. In most families experiencing diaper need (53%), the respondent was found to have high levels of anxiety symptoms, suggestive of a probable generalized anxiety disorder. Among families without diaper need, 19% of adults met those criteria. In families reporting diaper need, 69% of adults reported worries about finances, compared to 43% in households without diaper need.

Families struggling with diaper need were also challenged to afford other basic necessities. Half of households with diaper need found it hard to pay for housing. In two of five families with diaper need, adults reported delaying paying their mortgage or rent to afford diapers. Three-quarters of families with diaper need have run out of food in the past year and could not afford to buy more. One-quarter of families with diaper need could not afford to eat balanced meals. In the past few months, 92% of families with diaper need struggled to buy household cleaning or personal hygiene products.

“Many issues that this nation struggles with relate to diaper need: maternal health, mental health, housing, food insecurity,” says Goldblum.”Wiping out diaper need would lead to improvement in many areas and help more families to thrive. The solution is straightforward and the goal is achievable.”