NCT01845545

Brief Summary

Investigators propose a feasibility and pilot study for a cluster randomised controlled trial. The proposed trial will evaluate the effects of an economic intervention (microfinance) in self-help groups of poor and marginalised women in three provinces in northern India, upon the health of these communities, with a focus on children under five years. This feasibility and pilot study will determine whether accurate data can be collected on mortality by means of a house to house survey or from the register of births and deaths. The feasibility stage will also determine whether village volunteers can accurately weigh children under five and record their weights alongside the financial data already recorded by the self-help group. If these data are accurate and can be collected reliably, the investigators will calculate the power and sample size needed for a future cluster randomised trial, as well as analysing preliminary results from the current project. The investigators will evaluate health outcomes, relating to two Millennium Development Goals: number of children under five years of age who are underweight and the under five mortality rate.

Trial Health

87
On Track

Trial Health Score

Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach

Enrollment
2,469

participants targeted

Target at P75+ for not_applicable

Timeline
Completed

Started Aug 2013

Typical duration for not_applicable

Geographic Reach
1 country

1 active site

Status
completed

Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.

Trial Relationships

Click on a node to explore related trials.

Study Timeline

Key milestones and dates

First Submitted

Initial submission to the registry

April 24, 2013

Completed
9 days until next milestone

First Posted

Study publicly available on registry

May 3, 2013

Completed
3 months until next milestone

Study Start

First participant enrolled

August 1, 2013

Completed
2.6 years until next milestone

Primary Completion

Last participant's last visit for primary outcome

March 1, 2016

Completed
Same day until next milestone

Study Completion

Last participant's last visit for all outcomes

March 1, 2016

Completed
Last Updated

February 13, 2017

Status Verified

February 1, 2017

Enrollment Period

2.6 years

First QC Date

April 24, 2013

Last Update Submit

February 10, 2017

Conditions

Keywords

microfinanceunder five mortalityunderweightmalnutrition

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

  • Weight for height z-score of children under five years of age

    mean weight for height z-score (WHZ) of children under five years of age in the paired early and late intervention tolas at 18 months after the scheme has been implemented in the early intervention tolas

    18 months

Secondary Outcomes (8)

  • mean weight for age z-score

    18 months

  • mean height for age z-score

    18 months

  • prevalance of moderate to server undernutrition (WAZ < -2SD)

    18 months

  • prevalance of moderate to servere stunting (HAZ < -2SD)

    18 months

  • prevalance of moderate to servere wasting (WHZ< -2SD)

    18 months

  • +3 more secondary outcomes

Study Arms (2)

Late intervention

NO INTERVENTION

CPSL will support the establishment of self-help groups after 18 months of start of the study.

Early intervention

EXPERIMENTAL

CPSL will support the establishment of Women's self-help group. Microfinance will be provided to this group from the first 18 months of the study. The women in these groups will be eligible for emergency loans (up to Rs3000) and general purpose loans, (Rs50-3000) after 3-6 months of starting the self-help groups.

Other: Early provision of microfinance

Interventions

The CPSL staff will support the formation of the self-help groups from the start of the study. The women in this group will have access to microfinance from the first 18 months of the study and will be eligible for emergency loans (up to Rs3000) and general purpose loans, (Rs50-3000) after 3-6 months of starting the self-help group.

Early intervention

Eligibility Criteria

Age1 Day - 5 Years
Sexall
Healthy VolunteersYes
Age GroupsChild (0-17)

You may qualify if:

  • Women in tolas who give informed consent for participation in the study
  • Under five children of women who consent for participation

You may not qualify if:

  • Women who refuse consent
  • Children of women who refuse consent

Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.

Sponsors & Collaborators

Study Sites (1)

Patna Medical College Hospital

Patna, Bihar, 800004, India

Location

Related Publications (2)

  • Ojha S, Szatkowski L, Sinha R, Yaron G, Fogarty A, Allen S, Choudhary S, Smyth AR. Feasibility and pilot study of the effects of microfinance on mortality and nutrition in children under five amongst the very poor in India: study protocol for a cluster randomized controlled trial. Trials. 2014 Jul 23;15:298. doi: 10.1186/1745-6215-15-298.

    PMID: 25052420BACKGROUND
  • Ojha S, Szatkowski L, Sinha R, Yaron G, Fogarty A, Allen SJ, Choudhary S, Smyth AR. Rojiroti microfinance and child nutrition: a cluster randomised trial. Arch Dis Child. 2020 Mar;105(3):229-235. doi: 10.1136/archdischild-2018-316471. Epub 2019 Oct 10.

Related Links

MeSH Terms

Conditions

ThinnessMalnutrition

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Body WeightSigns and SymptomsPathological Conditions, Signs and SymptomsNutrition DisordersNutritional and Metabolic Diseases

Study Officials

  • Alan Smyth

    University of Nottingham

    PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

Study Type
interventional
Phase
not applicable
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Masking
SINGLE
Who Masked
OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
Purpose
OTHER
Intervention Model
PARALLEL
Sponsor Type
OTHER
Responsible Party
SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

First Submitted

April 24, 2013

First Posted

May 3, 2013

Study Start

August 1, 2013

Primary Completion

March 1, 2016

Study Completion

March 1, 2016

Last Updated

February 13, 2017

Record last verified: 2017-02

Locations