Body and mind: Experimental evidence from women living with HIV

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Lubega, Patrick; Nakakawa, Frances; Narciso, Gaia; Newman, Carol; Kaaya, Archileo N.; Kityo, Cissy; Tumuhimbise, Gaston A.
• 署名单位: Makerere University; Trinity College Dublin; Joint Clinical Research Center - United Arab Emirates; Makerere University
• 刊物名称: JOURNAL OF DEVELOPMENT ECONOMICS
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0304-3878
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jdeveco.2020.102613
• 发表日期: 2021
• 关键词: Information campaign; Role models; RCT; hiv

摘要

How should we support marginalized individuals? By providing nutritional support for their body or by supporting their mind and allowing them to see their potential? This paper explores ways to improve the welfare of women living with HIV, by addressing two obstacles that they face: the body and the mind. We use a randomized controlled trial to test the effectiveness of three information-focused treatments: a standard nutritional information campaign, cookery demonstrations and role models. We find that providing information on nutrition leads to an improvement in nutritional intake and overall health. Participatory information interventions, such as the cookery demonstrations and exposure to role models, are found to empower and inspire participants to become more ambitious and invest in income-generating activities. As such, these types of interventions have the potential to have longer-term effects on welfare than passive information campaigns.