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The Roles of Nutrition Education and Food Vouchers in Improving Child Nutrition: Evidence from a Field Experiment in Ethiopia

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  • Han, Yaeeun
  • Kim, Hyuncheol Bryant
  • Park, Seollee

Abstract

Mothers’ lack of knowledge about child nutrition and limited resources lead to poor diets among children in developing countries, increasing their risk of chronic undernutrition. We implemented a cluster randomized control trial that randomly provides four-month-long Behavior Change Communication (BCC) and food vouchers in Ethiopia. We find improvements in child-feeding practices and a reduction in chronic child undernutrition only when BCC and vouchers are provided together. BCC or voucher alone had limited impacts. Our results highlight the importance of adding an effective educational component to existing transfer programs.

Suggested Citation

  • Han, Yaeeun & Kim, Hyuncheol Bryant & Park, Seollee, 2021. "The Roles of Nutrition Education and Food Vouchers in Improving Child Nutrition: Evidence from a Field Experiment in Ethiopia," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 80(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jhecon:v:80:y:2021:i:c:s0167629621001302
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jhealeco.2021.102545
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Infant and child nutrition; Health information; Behavior change communication; Food vouchers; Randomized control trial; Ethiopia;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I12 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health Behavior
    • I26 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Returns to Education
    • J22 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Time Allocation and Labor Supply
    • O12 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Microeconomic Analyses of Economic Development
    • O15 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration

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