A cluster randomized controlled trial to reduce childhood diarrhea using hollow fiber water filter and/or hygiene-sanitation educational interventions
Lindquist, E.D.; George, C.M.; Perin, J.; Neiswender de Calani, K.J.; Norman, W.R.; Davis, T.P.; Perry, H.
American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 91(1): 190-197
2014
ISSN/ISBN: 1476-1645 PMID: 24865680 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.13-0568Document Number: 623074
Safe domestic potable water supplies are urgently needed to reduce childhood diarrheal disease. In periurban neighborhoods in Cochabamba, Bolivia, we conducted a cluster randomized controlled trial to evaluate the efficacy of a household-level hollow fiber filter and/or behavior change communication (BCC) on water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) to reduce the diarrheal disease in children less than 5 years of age. In total, 952 households were followed for a period of 12 weeks post-distribution of the study interventions. Households using Sawyer PointONE filters had significantly less diarrheal disease compared with the control arm during the intervention period, which was shown by diarrheal prevalence ratios of 0.21 (95% confidence interval [95% CI] = 0.15-0.30) for the filter arm and 0.27 (95% CI = 0.22-0.34) for the filter and WASH BCC arm. A non-significant reduction in diarrhea prevalence was reported in the WASH BCC study arm households (0.71, 95% CI = 0.59-0.86).