Research

The Illusion of Sustainability

Michael Kremer and Edward Miguel
2007
African DevelopmentHealthEducation and Human Capital
Paper Illusion of Sustainability.pdf

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.

Commentary: Deworming externalities and schooling impacts in Kenya: a comment on Aiken et al. (2015) and Davey et al. (2015)Published PaperAfrican DevelopmentHealthEducation and Human CapitalResearch Methodology2015
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Deworming and Development: Asking the Right Questions, Asking the Questions RightPublished PaperAfrican DevelopmentHealthEducation and Human CapitalResearch Methodology2009
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The case for mass treatment of intestinal helminths in endemic areasPublished PaperAfrican DevelopmentHealthEducation and Human CapitalResearch Methodology2015
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When Should Governments Subsidize Health? The Case of Mass DewormingPublished PaperAfrican DevelopmentHealthEducation and Human Capital2015
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Worms: Identifying Impacts on Education and Health in the Presence of Treatment ExternalitiesPublished PaperAfrican DevelopmentHealthEducation and Human CapitalResearch Methodology2004
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Economics of Mass Deworming ProgramsBook ChapterAfrican DevelopmentHealthEducation and Human Capital2017
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Should the WHO withdraw support for mass deworming?Published PaperAfrican DevelopmentHealthEducation and Human CapitalResearch Methodology2017
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Commentary: Assessing long-run deworming impacts on education and economic outcomes: a comment on Jullien, Sinclair and Garner (2016)Published PaperAfrican DevelopmentHealthEducation and Human CapitalResearch Methodology2017
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Spillover effects on health outcomes in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic reviewPublished PaperHealthEducation and Human CapitalResearch Methodology2017
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Worms at work: Long-run impacts of a child health investmentPublished PaperAfrican DevelopmentHealthEducation and Human CapitalResearch Methodology2016
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Impacts and Determinants of Health Levels in Low-Income CountriesPublished PaperAfrican DevelopmentHealthEducation and Human CapitalResearch Methodology2017
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Sustainability and Challenging the "Ideologically Attractive"India Development Blog
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Réinventer le Développement DurableLibération, by Esther Duflo
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A Handout, Not a Hand UpBoston Globe
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