Making evidence accessible

Improvements in water quality, sanitation and hygiene are associated with a reduction in risk of diarrhoea. However, treating water and regular handwashing with soap are not common practices in several low- and middle-income countries, including Bangladesh.

According to the World Health Organization, diarrhoeal disease is the second leading cause of death among children under the age of five.

This brief is based on findings from four 3ie-funded pilot interventions in Zimbabwe, South Africa, Zambia and Uganda that used role models, peers, partners and normative attitudes to evaluate whether or not these influencers had a positive impact on VMMC uptake. The impact evaluations summarised in this brief showed mixed results.

The research team examined some of the key factors that influence the effectiveness of computer-assisted learning programmes for improving children's English language test scores. The findings suggest that the impact of these programmes depends on the quality of implementation and the level of teacher engagement.

Despite nearly universal uptake of HIV testing among women clients in antenatal care, testing among their male partners remains low. This brief summarises the findings of an impact evaluation by Gichangi and colleagues which assesses the effectiveness of providing HIV self-test kits to women to encourage testing among their male partners, as opposed to inviting men for a finger-prick HIV blood test at the antenatal clinic.