CGPH FACULTY: Paul Gertler
DATE OF PUBLICATION: October 2015
REGION: Latin America
REFERENCE: Galiani S, Gertler P, Ajzenman N, Orsola-Vidal A. Promoting Handwashing Behavior: The Effects of Large-scale Community and School-level Interventions. Health Econ. 2015 Oct 12. doi: 10.1002/hec.3273
SUMMARY/ABSTRACT: This paper analyzes a randomized experiment that uses novel strategies to promote handwashing with soap at critical points in time in Peru. It evaluates a large-scale comprehensive initiative that involved both community and school activities in addition to communication campaigns. The analysis indicates that the initiative was successful in reaching the target audience and in increasing the treated population’s knowledge about appropriate handwashing behavior. These improvements translated into higher self-reported and observed handwashing with soap at critical junctures. However, no significant improvements in the health of children under the age of 5 years were observed.
ACCESS: Link to Pubmed