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Promoting Handwashing Behavior: The Effects of Large‐scale Community and School‐level Interventions

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  • Sebastian Galiani
  • Paul Gertler
  • Nicolas Ajzenman
  • Alexandra Orsola‐Vidal

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. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Suggested Citation

  • Sebastian Galiani & Paul Gertler & Nicolas Ajzenman & Alexandra Orsola‐Vidal, 2016. "Promoting Handwashing Behavior: The Effects of Large‐scale Community and School‐level Interventions," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 25(12), pages 1545-1559, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:hlthec:v:25:y:2016:i:12:p:1545-1559
    DOI: 10.1002/hec.3273
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Abhijit V. Banerjee & Shawn Cole & Esther Duflo & Leigh Linden, 2007. "Remedying Education: Evidence from Two Randomized Experiments in India," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 122(3), pages 1235-1264.
    2. Galiani, Sebastian & Gertler, Paul & Orsola-Vidal, Alexandra, 2012. "Promoting handwashing behavior in Peru : the effect of large-scale mass-media and community level interventions," Policy Research Working Paper Series 6257, The World Bank.
    3. Jeffrey R Kling & Jeffrey B Liebman & Lawrence F Katz, 2007. "Experimental Analysis of Neighborhood Effects," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 75(1), pages 83-119, January.
    4. Madajewicz, Malgosia & Pfaff, Alexander & van Geen, Alexander & Graziano, Joseph & Hussein, Iftikhar & Momotaj, Hasina & Sylvi, Roksana & Ahsan, Habibul, 2007. "Can information alone change behavior? Response to arsenic contamination of groundwater in Bangladesh," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 84(2), pages 731-754, November.
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    Cited by:

    1. Stopnitzky, Yaniv, 2016. "Changing preferences through experimental games: Evidence from sanitation and hygiene in Tamil Nadu," IFPRI discussion papers 1587, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    2. Inauen, Jennifer & Lilje, Jonathan & Mosler, Hans-Joachim, 2020. "Refining hand washing interventions by identifying active ingredients: A cluster-randomized controlled trial in rural Zimbabwe," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 245(C).
    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. María López & Irene Alcoceba & María-José Castro & María-José Cao & Sara García & Manuel Frutos & José-María Jiménez, 2021. "Assessment of an Educational Intervention to Improve Healthy Life Habits in Children Living in Vulnerable Socioeconomic Conditions," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(9), pages 1-11, April.
    6. 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).
    7. Bancalari, Antonella & Berlinski, Samuel & Buitrago, Giancarlo & García, María Fernanda & de la Mata, Dolores & Vera-Hernandez, Marcos, 2023. "Health inequalities in Latin American and the Caribbean: child, adolescent, reproductive, metabolic syndrome and mental health," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 120559, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    8. Emmy De Buck & Hans Van Remoortel & Karin Hannes & Thashlin Govender & Selvan Naidoo & Bert Avau & Axel Vande Veegaete & Alfred Musekiwa & Vittoria Lutje & Margaret Cargo & Hans‐Joachim Mosler & Phili, 2017. "Approaches to promote handwashing and sanitation behaviour change in low‐ and middle‐income countries: a mixed method systematic review," Campbell Systematic Reviews, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 13(1), pages 1-447.

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