The illusion of sustainability

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Kremer, Michael; Miguel, Edward
• 署名单位: Harvard University
• 刊物名称: QUARTERLY JOURNAL OF ECONOMICS
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0033-5533
• DOI: 10.1162/qjec.122.3.1007
• 发表日期: 2007
• 页码: 1007-1065
• 关键词: HYGIENE EDUCATION; RURAL BANGLADESH; social networks; USER CHARGES; HEALTH; CHILDREN; infections; decisions; BEHAVIOR; district

摘要

We use a randomized evaluation of a Kenyan deworming program to estimate peer effects in technology adoption and to shed light on foreign aid donors' movement towards sustainable community provision of public goods. Deworming is a public good since much of its social benefit comes through reduced disease transmission. People were less likely to take deworming if their direct first-order or indirect second-order social contacts were exposed to deworming. Efforts to replace subsidies with sustainable worm control measures were ineffective: a drug cost-recovery program reduced take-up 80 percent; health education did not affect behavior, and a mobilization intervention failed. At least in this context, it appears unrealistic for a one-time intervention to generate sustainable voluntary local public goods provision.