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Completed

NCT Number: NCT02808117

Microfinance Institutions as a Platform for Global Health

This study will analyze data from a program run by an microfinance institution (MFI) in Haiti from 2011-2012 where the MFI delivered health goods to some of the villages where it operates. By comparing health indicators among children who were in villages targeted by the program initially to children who were in villages that were not targeted by the program until later, the investigators hope to understand if the MFI successfully delivered the intervention and offer a practical platform for delivery of basic health goods.

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Key information

Conditions

Malnutrition Anemia Hematologic Diseases Hemic and Lymphatic Diseases Nutrition Disorders Nutritional and Metabolic Diseases

Age range

6 month–54 month

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Observational

Primary location

Columbia University

New York, 10023, United States

About this study

Two-thirds of child deaths could be prevented with increased coverage of existing health products and services; however, effectively delivering health products and services to rural populations in low-income countries remains a practical challenge. This study investigates whether microfinance institutions (MFIs), having invested in community-based infrastructure to deliver financial services to 200 million rural poor households globally, offer a practical platform for delivery of basic health goods.

The investigators intend to analyze data from a pilot program implemented by an MFI in Haiti during 2011-2012 that distributed an evidence-based health good, micronutrient powders (MNPs), to 526 children in 34 villages where the MFI operates. Micronutrient deficiency is estimated to be responsible for over 1 million deaths of children under five per year. MNPs are one form of micronutrient supplementation proven to effectively combat micronutrient deficiency.

Published cost estimates indicate that leveraging existing supply chains could cut the total cost of mass MNP delivery by 25%. Given MFIs reach 200 million households globally, MFI-based delivery of health goods may be a promising route to improving health outcomes efficiently.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

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

Inclusion criteria

  • Lives in a household where the head of household was an microfinance client.

Exclusion criteria

  • Severely anemic (Hgb < 70 g/L)
  • Severely malnourished (Mid Upper Arm Circumference < 110 mm)

Treatment and study plan

MNP

Dietary Supplement

Program that delivered MNP and implemented by an MFI in Haiti during 2011-2012.

One form of micronutrient supplementation proven to effectively combat micronutrient deficiency.

Other names: Micronutrient powders, Sprinkles

Primary outcomes

  1. Change in blood hemoglobin concentration

    Time frame: Baseline, 3 months

Secondary outcomes

  1. Prevalence of diagnosis of anemia

    Time frame: 3 months

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Columbia University

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Microfinance Institutions as a Platform for Global Health Delivery: Evidence From a Pilot Program

Important dates

Study start
2015
Primary completion
2016
Study completion
2016
First posted
Jun 21, 2016
Registry last updated
Nov 30, 2016

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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