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Completed

NCT Number: NCT00700349

Evaluation of Impacts of Access to Credit and Loan Size for Microcredit Clients in South Africa

This study involves randomization of individuals who were initially rejected from a micro-lending organization in South Africa. Subjects were placed into two arms: (1) not receiving a loan; (2) being reconsidered for a "second look." Of those in the second arm, 53% were then selected by the organization's loan officers to receive a standard loan for first-time borrowers. Mental health and financial data were collected at one timepoint: approximately 6-12 months after the subjects first applied for the loan.

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Key information

Conditions

Mental Health Behavior Behavioral Symptoms Depression Personal Satisfaction Psychological Well-Being Stress

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Innovations for Poverty Action, Cape Town, South Africa

Loading trial locations.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Subjects were recruited from those who had been rejected from a lending organization for non-fraudulent or non-overindebtness reasons.

Exclusion criteria

  • None.

Treatment and study plan

Small loan

Other

Applicants in the treatment group were offered an interest rate, loan size, and maturity per the lender's standard underwriting criteria, involving a 4-month maturity at 11.75% per month, charged on the original balance (200% annual percentage rate).

Primary outcomes

  1. Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), a 20-item questionnaire (0 = no risk, 60 = highest risk)

    Time frame: At follow-up (6-12 months after subject enrollment)

  2. Perceived stress, measured using the Cohen's Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), a 10-item questionnaire (0 = no stress, 40 = high stress)

    Time frame: At follow-up (6-12 months after subject enrollment)

Secondary outcomes

  1. Household income, measured by a variety of questions that asked about all sources of income obtained by all members of the applicant's household.

    Time frame: At follow-up (6-12 months after subject enrollment)

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Innovations for Poverty Action

Other

Collaborators

  • Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
  • Broadening Access and Strengthening Input Market Systems/USAID
  • Federal Reserve Bank of New York
  • Princeton University
  • Social Science Research Council Program in Applied Economics
  • U.S. National Science Foundation

Registry information

Important dates

Study start
2004
Primary completion
2005
Study completion
2005
First posted
Jun 18, 2008
Registry last updated
Jun 18, 2008

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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