The study will be structured as a two-arm cluster RCT with clinics catchment areas as clusters. One arm will serve as the control (83 clinics) and will operate as the status quo, while the other arm will receive New Incentives' full program (84 clinics). This design will measure the causal effect of New Incentives' program on the likelihood of an infant receiving a vaccine. The unit of treatment and randomization is the clinic catchment, while the unit of measurement for the key outcomes is the individual infant.
Eligible caregivers who bring their infant(s) to a treatment group health facility for immunizations are first enrolled in the program by New Incentives staff, who record caregiver and infant details. If the child has received the vaccination, the caregiver receives the cash incentive, and instructions on when to return for the next vaccination and incentive payment.
Data collection of outcome measures takes place at three points (baseline, midline, and endline) using a series of self-reported surveys of caregivers, examination of the child's health card (where available) and reviewing clinic records. Baseline was completed between August and October 2017, midline is scheduled for March 2019, and endline is planned for November 2019 to January 2020. Across all outcome measurements, sampled infants will be aged between 12 and 16 months (though baseline surveyed some infants aged up to 24 months to increase sample size). These age groups are sampled as they are well beyond the age at which children should receive the program vaccinations. (The Nigerian Routine Immunization schedule aims to give the program vaccinations between birth and 9 months old.) IDinsight does not follow the same infants from baseline to midline to endline but, rather, compares coverage rates in the same age group at each point in time. From the perspective of the participant, taking part in the study involves receiving a researcher into their home, providing informed consent, and answering a 1-hour survey.
