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Meta-Analysis and Public Policy: Reconciling the Evidence on Deworming

Author

Listed:
  • Kevin Croke
  • Joan Hamory Hicks
  • Eric Hsu
  • Michael Kremer
  • Ricardo Maertens
  • Edward Miguel
  • Witold Więcek

Abstract

The WHO recommends mass drug administration (MDA) in areas with >20% prevalence. Recent Cochrane meta-analyses endorse treatment of infected individuals but recommend against MDA. A theory-agnostic meta-analysis of the effect of multiple-dose MDA rejects the hypothesis of a common zero effect on child weight, mid-upper arm circumference, and height, and estimates significant average impacts. Estimates of implied treatment effect on infected children with MDA are not significantly different than those found for test and treat trials. These results suggest that MDA is a cost-effective intervention, particularly in the settings recommended by the WHO.

Suggested Citation

  • Kevin Croke & Joan Hamory Hicks & Eric Hsu & Michael Kremer & Ricardo Maertens & Edward Miguel & Witold Więcek, 2016. "Meta-Analysis and Public Policy: Reconciling the Evidence on Deworming," NBER Working Papers 22382, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:22382
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Garret Christensen & Edward Miguel, 2018. "Transparency, Reproducibility, and the Credibility of Economics Research," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 56(3), pages 920-980, September.
    2. Roodman, David, 2018. "The Impacts of Hookworm Eradication in the American South. A replication study of Bleakley (The Quarterly Journal of Economics, 2007)," International Journal for Re-Views in Empirical Economics (IREE), ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 2(2018-3), pages 1-45.
    3. Vivian A. Welch & Elizabeth Ghogomu & Alomgir Hossain & Shally Awasthi & Zulfi Bhutta & Chisa Cumberbatch & Robert Fletcher & Jessie McGowan & Shari Krishnaratne & Elizabeth Kristjansson & Salim Sohan, 2016. "Deworming and adjuvant interventions for improving the developmental health and well‐being of children in low‐ and middle‐income countries: a systematic review and network meta‐analysis," Campbell Systematic Reviews, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 12(1), pages 1-383.
    4. Stanley, T. D. & Doucouliagos, Chris, 2019. "Practical Significance, Meta-Analysis and the Credibility of Economics," IZA Discussion Papers 12458, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    5. Bloom, David E. & Kuhn, Michael & Prettner, Klaus, 2018. "Health and Economic Growth," IZA Discussion Papers 11939, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    6. Isaiah Andrews & Maximilian Kasy, 2019. "Identification of and Correction for Publication Bias," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 109(8), pages 2766-2794, August.
    7. Eszter Czibor & David Jimenez‐Gomez & John A. List, 2019. "The Dozen Things Experimental Economists Should Do (More of)," Southern Economic Journal, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 86(2), pages 371-432, October.
    8. Isaiah Andrews & Jesse M. Shapiro, 2021. "A Model of Scientific Communication," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 89(5), pages 2117-2142, September.
    9. Mathur, Maya B & VanderWeele, Tyler, 2020. "Robust metrics and sensitivity analyses for meta-analyses of heterogeneous effects," OSF Preprints r2s78, Center for Open Science.
    10. Kevin Croke & Joan Hamory Hicks & Eric Hsu & Michael Kremer & Edward Miguel, 2017. "Should the WHO withdraw support for mass deworming?," PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases, Public Library of Science, vol. 11(6), pages 1-3, June.
    11. Kumar, Tanu & Post, Alison E. & Ray, Isha, 2018. "Flows, leaks and blockages in informational interventions: A field experimental study of Bangalore's water sector," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 106(C), pages 149-160.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • C49 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric and Statistical Methods: Special Topics - - - Other
    • I15 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health and Economic Development
    • I18 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health
    • O15 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration

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