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The Economic and Cognitive Effects of Pain Reduction

NCT03437460 · Status: TERMINATED · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 139

Last updated 2018-08-03

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

Physical pain is a common but largely overlooked aspect of the lives of the poor. Not only does pain directly reduce life quality and happiness, it may also hamper cognitive function and, consequently, decision-making, productivity, and earnings. Workers with chronic pain may work fewer days, take longer breaks, and make less-considered choices regarding inputs; all outcomes that would reduce output and lead to greater impoverishment or impede the productivity and profitability of microenterprises and firms. The investigators will take the first steps in understanding the broader causal impact of physical pain on the cognitive and economic lives of the poor via a randomized controlled trial (RCT). 450 low-income women in Chennai, India, will be assigned to one of three treatment arms: 600 mg of over-the-counter pain medication, a placebo pill, or no medication. The research will quantify the causal impact of reduced pain on previously unstudied outcomes essential to escaping poverty including cognitive function, productivity, and earnings.

Conditions

  • Pain, Chronic

Interventions

DRUG

Ibuprofen 600 mg

The investigators administer one single 600 mg dose of ibuprofen immediately before lunch. Participants are then asked to complete the cold pressor task, flower stringing sessions, and cognitive tasks.

DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Prenatal vitamins

The investigators administer one single prenatal multivitamin immediately before lunch. Participants are then asked to complete the cold pressor task, flower stringing sessions, and cognitive tasks.

Sponsors & Collaborators

Principal Investigators

  • Frank Schilbach, Ph.D. · MIT Department of Economics

  • Heather Schofield, Ph.D. · University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine and Wharton Business School

  • Anuj Shah, Ph.D. · University of Chicago, Booth School of Business

  • Sendhil Mullainathan, Ph.D. · Harvard University

  • Emma Dean, M.S. · University of Pennsylvania, Wharton School of Business

Study Design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
TRIPLE
Model
PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age
25 Years
Max Age
65 Years
Sex
FEMALE
Healthy Volunteers
No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2017-05-10
Primary Completion
2017-08-12
Completion
2017-08-12

Countries

  • India

Study Locations

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Entities

Companies

Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT03437460 on ClinicalTrials.gov