Study Sites

The WASH Benefits study is conducted in rural Bangladesh and in rural Kenya. These two sites, one in south Asia and one in sub-Saharan Africa, are located in populations with large health burdens from enteric infections and malnutrition. Although the trials are designed to provide highly comparable evidence, each trial is independently powered and the interventions differ slightly between countries to reflect cultural, demographic, and environmental differences between sites.

The intervention programs have been refined over a two-year formative research period, and include hardware and behavior change components to improve water quality, sanitation, handwashing, and nutrition.


WASH Benefits Bangladesh

Overview The Bangladesh trial is being led by study collaborators at the International Center for Diarrheal Disease Research, Bangladesh (ICDDR,B).  Nutrition intervention efforts are being led by the nutrition teams at ICDDR,B and at UC Davis. Field work is implemented by icddr,b staff; parasitology and environmental enteropathy assessment is implemented by icddr,b laboratory scientists and staff.

Setting The Bangladesh trial is conducted in selected districts north of Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh. The study communities must meet the following study criteria:
  • Rural communities
  • Drinking water that has low levels of arsenic and iron, but sources are known to be frequently contaminated with fecal indicator bacteria
  • Low levels of fully hygienic latrine coverage
  • Levels of childhood stunting ­>30%
  • No previous participation in other studies

Interventions The Bangladesh trial includes 7 arms:
  • Water quality
  • Sanitation
  • Handwashing
  • Water quality + sanitation + handwashing
  • Nutrition
  • Nutrition + water quality + sanitation + handwashing
  • Double-sized control arm (no intervention)

Learn more about the specific interventions for Bangladesh


WASH Benefits Kenya

Overview The Kenya trial is being led by study collaborators affiliated with Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA). Field work is implemented by IPA Kenya. Parasitology and environmental enteropathy assessment is led by collaborators and team members at the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), Moi University, and ICDDR,B. Nutrition intervention efforts are being led by collaborators at UC Davis.

Setting The Kenya trial is conducted in selected rural areas in Western Province, Kenya. Communities that are included in the study need to have a year-round water source that is used by at least 10 households and which is relatively far from other communities enrolled in this or other IPA projects.

Interventions The Kenya trial includes the following 7 intervention arms:
  • Water quality
  • Sanitation
  • Handwashing
  • Water quality + sanitation + handwashing
  • Nutrition
  • Nutrition + water quality + sanitation + handwashing
  • Double-sized control arm

Learn more about the specific interventions for Kenya