Health

War in the womb: How conflict hurts children in Afghanistan

As global conflicts grow, new evidence from Afghanistan shows that girls exposed to war violence in utero suffer long-term setbacks in learning and development. Addressing these hidden costs of conflict must be part of any strategy for peace and reco...

Health

Erkmen Aslim Rafiuddin Najam Erdal Tekin

Published

22.04.25

Calling all parents: Boosting early childhood outcomes in Uruguay

A phone-based intervention in Uruguay, which included access to an AI chatbot, demonstrates how behavioural insights can enhance parenting practices and improve early childhood development at scale.

Health

Juanita Bloomfield Ana Inés Balsa Alejandro Cid Philip Oreopoulos

Published

04.04.25

Why knowing your HIV status can be fatal when there are no treatment options

In 2004, a randomised controlled trial provided individuals in Malawi with information about their HIV status, despite treatment being unavailable in the country at the time. Did knowing one’s diagnosis help or hurt?

Health

Alberto Ciancio Fabrice Kämpfen Hans-Peter Kohler Rebecca Thornton

Published

02.04.25

Patent pools can promote the diffusion of life-saving drugs in developing countries

Geographic patent pools boost drug licensing and commercialisation, expanding access to life-saving drugs in developing countries.

Health

Alberto Galasso Mark Schankerman

Published

14.04.25

People think it’s easy to contract HIV. That might not be a good thing.

Despite the high HIV prevalence in Malawi, individuals do not seem to adjust their behaviour to avoid infection—this may be due to the perceived transmission risk being so high that people become fatalistic, assuming they are doomed to HIV infection ...

Health

Jason Kerwin

Published

02.04.25

Protecting girls at school: How sanitation infrastructure can reduce sexual violence

In India, over 30% of reported rape cases involve victims under 18, with girls particularly at-risk. Legal reforms and cultural shifts are essential, but slow to implement. Could school toilets provide a short-term solution to the problem?

Health

Pei Gao Aditi Kothari Yu-Hsiang Lei

Published

07.03.25

healthcare professional administering a vaccine

Effective health aid: Evidence from Gavi’s vaccine programme

Coordinated health aid for vaccination has increased coverage rates and saved the lives of children around the world.

Health

Kartini Shastry Daniel Tortorice

Published

13.02.25

pile of electronic waste, reflecting this articles focus on the health impacts of e-waste

Electronic waste is a silent killer in West Africa

Evidence from Ghana and Nigeria shows that e-waste dumping is causing a health crisis, claiming the lives of newborns and infants living nearby.

Health

Stefania Lovo Sam Rawlings

Published

03.02.25

Preschool subsidies and cash transfers have long-term health benefits for children

Subsidised access to full-day preschools in Uganda had long-term positive effects on children’s anthropometrics but not their learning outcomes. Cash transfers of a similar value as the preschool subsidy had a similar impact.

Health

Arne Nasgowitz Denise Ferris Kjetil Bjorvatn Lore Vandewalle Selim Gulesci Vincent Somville

Published

23.01.25