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Millennium Villages Project in Sub-Saharan Africa

Not Applicable
Completed
Conditions
Child Survival
Interventions
Other: Routine services
Other: Health and development intervention package
Registration Number
NCT01125618
Lead Sponsor
Columbia University
Brief Summary

The Millennium Villages Project involves the coordinated and simultaneous delivery of a package of proven interventions in health, agriculture, infrastructure and education. The project works in partnership with governments in 10 African countries in areas where progress towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals has been insufficient.

The Project evaluation will test the following hypotheses:

1. That after 5 years of operation, villages exposed to the MVP intervention will have a lower rate of under-5 mortality and parallel gains in MDG-related secondary outcomes when compared to similar villages not receiving the intervention.

2. That the coordinated delivery a multi-sector package of health and development interventions implemented through a broad-based local partnership is feasible in a diversity of sub-Saharan African contexts, and;

3. The intervention package can be delivered at a scalable cost of $40 per person per year in the health sector and $110 per person per year in total

Detailed Description

Design and population The design is a pair-matched community intervention trial. Village clusters with high levels of malnutrition were selected from rural areas in ten sub-Saharan African countries to reflect a diverse range of agro-ecological zones, farming systems, disease profiles, and infrastructure challenges. MVP sites represent 80 villages in 14 clusters across 10 countries, covering nearly 500,000 people. For each intervention cluster, a matched comparison cluster has been selected at random to participate in the evaluation.

Outcomes The primary outcome is the under-5 mortality rate. Secondary outcomes are levels of coverage with essential maternal-child health interventions and related MDG indicators for poverty, nutrition, education, and environmental health.

Sample size calculation The assessment follows 6000 households across intervention and matched comparison villages at baseline, and after 3 and 5 years of intervention exposure. With 10 paired clusters, the study is powered to detect a 40% difference in the U5MR between the two groups.

Analysis plan The analysis will use a two-staged pair-matched cluster level analysis, and will be complemented with multilevel modeling. Reporting will adhere to Transparent Reporting of Evaluations with Non-randomized Designs (TREND) guidelines.

Implementation science A portfolio of qualitative implementation science (process evaluation) will complement the quantitative assessment, and involves interviews with implementers, partners, and project beneficiaries. This analysis will address questions about: the feasibility of the interventions; the timing and sequence of their introduction; key contextual barriers and facilitators to implementation; and potential synergies achieved from the integrated multisector approach.

Economic costing study One project hypothesis is that an annual per capita investment of $110 is required to achieve the MDGs. The aim of the economic costing study is to document the absolute and relative contribution of project partners (MVP, government, donors, and the community) to all priced and non-priced cluster-level activities, as well as the sector-specific breakdown of these inputs.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
65000
Inclusion Criteria
  • Resident in a Millennium Village and consenting to periodic assessments
Exclusion Criteria
  • Those not consenting to participate

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
FACTORIAL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
Comparison villageRoutine servicesVillages receiving routine services through established programs
MVP villageHealth and development intervention packageWealth stratified and randomly selected households residing in a village exposed to the Millennium Villages Project intervention (or health and development intervention package)
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Child Mortality Rate5 years

Under 5 Mortality Rate

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Prevalence of low mid-upper arm circumference5 years

Proportion of under 5s with a low mid-upper arm circumference

Prevalence of Diarrhea5 years

Proportion of under 5's with diarrhea in past 2 weeks

Survival rate to last grade of primary education (School Quality)5 years
Prevalence of improved sanitation utilization5 years

Proportion of the population using an improved sanitation source

Age of introduction of complementary feeding (Child feeding practices)5 years
Prevalence of measles immunization5 years

Proportion under 1s immunized against measles

Prevalence of bed net utilization5 years

Proportion of under 5s sleeping under Longlasting insecticide treated bednets in the night prior to the survey

Prevalence of malaria treatment5 years

Proportion of under 5s with a fever in the past 2 weeks who receive appropriate anti-malarial treatment

Prevalence of diarrhea management5 years

Proportion of under 5s with diarrhea in the past 2 weeks who received oral rehydration therapy

Prevalence of pneumonia management5 years

Proportion of under 5s treated for pneumonia in the past 2 weeks

Prevalence of newborn care5 years

Proportion of newborns receiving a post-natal check in the first week of life

Proportion of pregnant women who received and HIV test5 years

This measures the prevention of vertical transmission of HIV

Prevalence of food insecurity5 years

Proportion of households reporting not enough food for 1 of past 12 months

Institutional delivery rate5 years

Proportion of births attended by skilled health personnel

Prevalence of underweight5 years

Proportion of under 5s who are underweight; Underweight= weight for age Z score

Prevalence of wasting5 years

Proportion of under 5s who are wasted; Wasting = weight for height Z score

Prevalence of antenatal care5 years

Proportion of women who receive at least 4 ANC visits

Prevalence of Stunting5 years

Proportion of under 5s who are stunted; Stunted = low height for age Z-score

Prevalence of Malaria5 years

Prevalence of malaria among under 5s at the time of survey

Duration or breast feeding (Child feeding practices)5 years
Household Asset Index (Household poverty)5 years

Survey of fixed and non-fixed assets, including recent purchases

Prevalence of improved water source utilization5 years

Proportion of the population using an improved drinking water source

Trial Locations

Locations (11)

Pampaida

🇳🇬

Pampaida, Nigeria

Potou

🇸🇳

Potou, Senegal

Bonsasso

🇬🇭

Bonsasso, Ghana

Mwandama

🇲🇼

Mwandama, Malawi

Koraro

🇪🇹

Koraro, Ethiopia

Sauri

🇰🇪

Sauri, Kenya

Tiby

🇲🇱

Tiby, Mali

Ikaram

🇳🇬

Ikaram, Nigeria

Mayange

🇷🇼

Mayange, Rwanda

Mbola

🇹🇿

Mbola, Tanzania

Ruhiira

🇺🇬

Ruhiira, Uganda

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