This paper examines the causal impact of diagnostic efficiency on the COVID-19 pandemic in China. Using an instrumental variable approach, we show that a 1-day decrease in the time taken to confirm the first case in a city publicly led to 9.4% and 12.7% reductions in COVID-19 prevalence and...

Evidence from randomized controlled trials suggests that interventions relying on community involvement through a participatory learning and action (PLA) approach can improve health outcomes in resource-poor settings. However, whether PLA-based interventions remain effective after scale-up is...

This study investigates whether eligibility for antiretroviral therapy (ART) of HIV positive parents improved their children's educational attainment in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, employing a regression discontinuity design. We find that there is a positive impact of ART eligibility on...

Several country-level studies have identified long-term adverse effects of in-utero exposure to the 1918 influenza pandemic (also known as the Spanish Flu) on economic outcomes. In-utero conditions are theoretically linked to adult health and socio-economic status through the fetal origins...

Background Testing for the risk factors of cardiovascular disease, which include hypertension, diabetes, and hypercholesterolaemia, is important for timely and effective risk management. Yet few studies have quantified and analysed testing of cardiovascular risk factors in low-income and...

Background The global burden of diabetes is rising rapidly, yet there is little evidence on individual-level diabetes prevention activities undertaken by health systems in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). Here we describe the population at high risk of developing diabetes,...

Evidence from randomized controlled trials suggests that interventions relying on community involvement through a participatory learning and action (PLA) approach can improve health outcomes in resource-poor settings. However, whether PLA-based interventions remain effective after scale-up is...