WASH Benefits Kenya

Summary

The purpose of this study is to measure the independent and combined effects of interventions that improve sanitation, water quality, handwashing, and nutrition on child health and development in the first years of life.

Conditions

• Malnutrition
• Diarrhea
• Child Development

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Water Quality

Hardware: Chlorine dispensers provided for free at communal water sources. Promotion: Local promoters will visit study compounds at least monthly during the first year and bi-monthly thereafter to deliver behavior change messages that focus on the treatment of drinking water for all children living in the household.

BEHAVIORAL

Sanitation

Hardware: Free child potties, sani-scoop hoes to remove feces from household environments, and new or upgraded pit latrine for each study compound. Upgrades may include structural improvements, plastic slabs, and superstructure improvements. Promotion: Local promoters will visit study compounds at least monthly during the first year and bi-monthly thereafter to deliver behavior change messages that focus on the use of latrines for defecation and the removal of human and animal feces from the compound.

BEHAVIORAL

Handwashing

Hardware: Handwashing "dual tippy tap" stations, including jugs for clean and for soapy water. Handwashing stations will be stocked with soap for the duration of the trial. Promotion: Local promoters will visit study compounds at least monthly during the first year and bi-monthly thereafter to deliver behavior change messages that focus on handwashing with soap at critical times around food preparation, defecation, and contact with feces.

DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Nutrition

Supplement: Lipid-based Nutrient Supplement (LNS) twice daily from ages 6 to 24 months. Promotion: Local promoters will visit study compounds at least monthly during the first year and bi-monthly thereafter to deliver behavior change messages modeled on those recommended in the Guiding Principles for Complementary Feeding of the Breastfed Child and the recent UNICEF Program Guide for Infant and Young Child Feeding Practices. General messages will include (1) practice exclusive breastfeeding from birth to 6 months of age and introduce complementary foods at 6 months of age while continuing to breastfeed; (2) continue breast feeding as you did before receiving LNS; (3) provide your child micronutrient-rich foods such as meat, fish, eggs, and vitamin A rich fruits and vegetables; and (4) feed your child at least 2-3 times per day when 6-8 months old and 3-4 times per day when 9-24 months old.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Kenya Medical Research Institute

  collaborator OTHER

• University of California, Berkeley

  collaborator OTHER

• University of California, Davis

  collaborator OTHER

• Tufts University

  collaborator OTHER

• International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh

  collaborator OTHER

• Innovations for Poverty Action

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Clair Null, PhD · Innovations for Poverty Action and Mathematica Policy Research

• Christine Stewart, PhD · University of California, Davis

• Amy Pickering, PhD · Tufts University

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

PREVENTION

Masking

SINGLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2012-11-30

Primary Completion

2016-07-31

Completion

2016-07-31

Countries

• Kenya

Study Locations