ance and redemption patterns and local vendor

Rural California WIC participants tend to show a slightly lower propensity to redeem WIC-issued food instruments than urban California WIC participants do. In addition to possible food availability problems associated with rural locations, the presence or absence of cultural factors, especially foreign language backgrounds, may also help to explain this difference. Limited English-speaking WIC participants seem somewhat more likely to redeem their food vouchers than primarily English-speaking WIC participants do. This condition seems to be as prevalent in rural California areas as it is for the urban-dominated California WIC population as a whole. Nevertheless, WIC food instrument redemption rate analysis, together with geographic information systems, might be helpful in pinpointing areas around the country where physical food availability problems might exist. Background Food insecurity has been defined as lack of "assured access at all times to enough food for an active, healthy life " (Andrews, 1999). Food inse-curity may be exacerbated in rural areas vis-a-vis urban areas because of transportation issues and less well-stocked grocery stores with more expen-sive items (Kaufian, 1997). To help study possible regional variation in food accessibility, food instrument (voucher) redemption records are available from the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Supplemental Nutrition Program, whose purpose it is to provide food supplements and nutritional education for low-income women and their small children (Food Research and Action Cen-ter). Qualified individuals can redeem WIC-issued instuments for specified food items from authorized grocers or vendors. Rates of redemption can vary. Previous research has shown a significant difference in California WIC food instrument redemption rates between members of various ethnic and linguistic groups. Notably, limited English-speaking house-holds were generally found to have higher food in-strument redemption rates than primarily English-speaking households (Matthews, 2000). See Figures la and lb. Such food instrument redemption rate dif-ference measurement could also be applied to rural vis-a-vis urban settings