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Learning, Hygiene and Traditional Medicine

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  • Daniel Bennett
  • Asjad Naqvi
  • Wolf‐Peter Schmidt

Abstract

Information provision is only an effective behaviour‐change strategy if the information is credible. A novel programme augments conventional hygiene instruction by showing participants everyday microbes under a microscope. Through a randomised evaluation in Pakistan, we show that this programme leads to meaningful hygiene and health improvements, while instruction alone does not. Traditional medicine, which offers an alternative disease model, may undermine learning by strengthening prior beliefs about hygiene. We show that believers in traditional medicine have smaller impacts, suggesting that traditional and modern medical beliefs are substitutes and that traditional medicine may exacerbate the infectious disease burden in this context.

Suggested Citation

  • Daniel Bennett & Asjad Naqvi & Wolf‐Peter Schmidt, 2018. "Learning, Hygiene and Traditional Medicine," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 128(612), pages 545-574, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:econjl:v:128:y:2018:i:612:p:f545-f574
    DOI: 10.1111/ecoj.12549
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    3. Silvia Castro & Kristina Czura, 2021. "Social Norms and Misinformation: Experimental Evidence on Learning about Menstrual Health Management in Rural Bangladesh," CESifo Working Paper Series 9081, CESifo.
    4. Castro, Silvia & Czura, Kristina, 2021. "Social Norms and Information in Menstrual Health Management," VfS Annual Conference 2021 (Virtual Conference): Climate Economics 242423, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    5. Czura, Kristina & Menzel, Andreas & Miotto, Martina, 2024. "Improved menstrual health and the workplace: An RCT with female Bangladeshi garment workers," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 166(C).
    6. Juan F. Castro & Paul Glewwe & Ricardo Montero, 2019. "Work With What You’ve Got: Improving Teachers’ Pedagogical Skills at Scale in Rural Peru," Working Papers 158, Peruvian Economic Association.
    7. Cyan, Musharraf R. & Kasim, M. Taha, 2023. "Awareness campaign to improve hygiene practices: Evidence from a randomized controlled trial in the tribal areas of Pakistan," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 233(C).
    8. Dawoon Jung & Tushar Bharati & Seungwoo Chin, 2021. "Does Education Affect Time Preference? Evidence from Indonesia," Economic Development and Cultural Change, University of Chicago Press, vol. 69(4), pages 1451-1499.
    9. Silvia Castro & Kristina Czura, 2024. "Cultural Taboos and Misinformation about Menstrual Health Management in Rural Bangladesh," CESifo Working Paper Series 11204, CESifo.
    10. Fink, Günther & Masiye, Felix, 2015. "Health and agricultural productivity: Evidence from Zambia," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 151-164.
    11. Kristina Czura & Andreas Menzel & Martina Miotto, 2019. "Menstrual Health, Worker Productivity and Well-being among Female Bangladeshi Garment Workers," CERGE-EI Working Papers wp649, The Center for Economic Research and Graduate Education - Economics Institute, Prague.
    12. Afridi, Farzana & Debnath, Sisir & Somanathan, E., 2021. "A breath of fresh air: Raising awareness for clean fuel adoption," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 151(C).
    13. Raymond P. Guiteras & David I. Levine & Stephen P. Luby & Thomas H. Polley & Kaniz Khatun-e-Jannat & Leanne Unicomb, 2016. "Disgust, Shame, and Soapy Water: Tests of Novel Interventions to Promote Safe Water and Hygiene," Journal of the Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, University of Chicago Press, vol. 3(2), pages 321-359.
    14. Noelia Bernal & Joan Costa-i-Font & Patricia Ritter, 2022. "The Effect of Health Insurance on Child Nutritional Outcomes. Evidence from a Regression Discontinuity Design in Peru," CESifo Working Paper Series 9887, CESifo.
    15. Alessandro Tarozzi & Ricardo Maertens & Kazi Matin Ahmed & Alexander van Geen, 2021. "Demand for Information on Environmental Health Risk, Mode of Delivery, and Behavioral Change: Evidence from Sonargaon, Bangladesh," The World Bank Economic Review, World Bank, vol. 35(3), pages 764-792.
    16. Reshmaan Hussam & Atonu Rabbani & Giovanni Reggiani & Natalia Rigol, 2022. "Rational Habit Formation: Experimental Evidence from Handwashing in India," American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, American Economic Association, vol. 14(1), pages 1-41, January.
    17. Reshmaan Hussam & Abu S. Shonchoy & Chikako Yamauchi & Kailash Pandey, 2021. "Translating Information into Action: A Public Health Experiment in Bangladesh," Working Papers 2127, Florida International University, Department of Economics.

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