Research on the Impact of Targeted Subsidies Within Open Defecation Free (ODF) Communities

NCT03822611 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: WASHPaLS Subsidy Study
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 5,615
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This study evaluates targeted subsidies as a strategy to improve sanitation infrastructure and behaviours in communities that have reached Open Defecation Free (ODF) status after a Community-Led Total Sanitation (CLTS) program. The investigator's hypothesis is that sanitation subsidies targeted at the most vulnerable households within ODF communities will increase and help sustain latrine coverage, quality, and use amongst the targeted households, and through a spill-over effect, amongst the rest of the community. Half of participating communities will receive the targeted subsidy, while the other half will not receive any treatment.

Conditions

Sanitation

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Percentage of households owning an individual, functional latrine with full superstructure

  Household ownership (yes/no) of a latrine that is i) not shared with other households ("individual"), ii) whose pit is not collapsed and not full ("functional"), and iii) with four walls (or circular walls) and a roof of any materials ("full superstructure").

  Approximately 18 months

Secondary Outcomes (3)

• Percentage of households reporting practicing open defecation

  Approximately 18 months

• Percentage of households owning an individual, functional latrine with full superstructure and durable superstructure

  Approximately 18 months

• Percentage of households reporting satisfaction with latrine

  Approximately 18 months

Study Arms (2)

Targeted Subsidy

EXPERIMENTAL

In these communities, households identified as vulnerable receive a voucher for a free latrine sub-structure (slab + pit lining), redeemable with local sanitation suppliers.

Behavioral: Targeted Subsidy

No subsidy

NO INTERVENTION

In these communities, no household receives a voucher.

Interventions

Targeted Subsidy BEHAVIORAL

Voucher

Targeted Subsidy

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Community was targeted by UNICEF's Community-Led Total Sanitation (CLTS) program in Tatale, Yendi, and Kpandai districts in Ghana.
• Community has Open Defecation Free (ODF) status according to local authorities.
• Community has more than 15 and less than 100 households.

You may not qualify if:

• Community is located less than 2 kilometers away from a community in the opposite treatment arm.
• Household is extremely poor, as identified through community consultation and/or the government's Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) program.
• Household has at least one vulnerable person, i.e. who meets one of the following criteria: i) older than 65 years old, ii) person with a disability, iii) orphan or vulnerable child, iv) female head of household, v) widow(er), vi) terminally-ill persons, vii) unemployed, viii) outcast groups.
• Household owns a functional, individual (non-shared) latrine with durable sub-structure.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• The Aquaya Institute: lead
• United States Agency for International Development (USAID): collaborator
• Tetratech: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

Districts of Tatale and Kpandai, Northern Region

Tamale, Ghana

Location

Study Officials

• Rachel Peletz, PhD

  The Aquaya Institute

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: OTHER
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Model Details: cluster Randomized controlled trial (c-RCT)

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: January 25, 2019
• First Posted: January 30, 2019
• Study Start: February 18, 2019
• Primary Completion: March 31, 2021
• Study Completion: March 31, 2021
• Last Updated: October 4, 2021

Record last verified: 2021-10

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will share
• Shared Documents: STUDY PROTOCOL, SAP, ICF
• Time Frame: Data will be available within 9 months of study completion.

Locations

GH (1)