Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33938805›Full record

ArticleJMIR research protocols2021

Norms and Social Network-Centric Behavior Change Intervention (Nam Nalavazhvu) for Improved Toilet Usage in Peri-Urban Communities of Tamil Nadu: Protocol for a Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial.

Sania Ashraf, Cristina Bicchieri, Maryann G Delea, Upasak Das, Kavita Chauhan, Jinyi Kuang, Alex Shpenev, Erik Thulin

Registry-linked trialOpen access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in JMIR research protocols, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT04269824 (The Longitudinal Evaluation of Norms and Networks Study), which is not on this map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
0.8field-weighted citation impact, top 31% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT04269824 nacompletednot on this map

The Longitudinal Evaluation of Norms and Networks Study: A Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial to Promote Exclusive Toilet Use in Tamil Nadu, India

TypeinterventionalSponsorUniversity of PennsylvaniaRan2020 to 2021Enrolled22,700ConditionsBehavior, Social, Norms, SocialArmsBehavioral intervention package
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed, 10 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
  2. Unlocking the Role of Social Norms: How They Shape Women's Public Toilet Usage in India.The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene · 2023
    Article
  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors at 3 institutions in 2 countries.

Sania AshrafCenter for Social Norms and Behavioral Dynamics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7305-8922
Cristina BicchieriCenter for Social Norms and Behavioral Dynamics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1648-5068
Maryann G DeleaCenter for Social Norms and Behavioral Dynamics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3822-6772
Upasak DasCenter for Social Norms and Behavioral Dynamics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4371-0139
Kavita ChauhanCenter for Social Norms and Behavioral Dynamics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6750-2054
Jinyi KuangCenter for Social Norms and Behavioral Dynamics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4173-3246
Alex ShpenevCenter for Social Norms and Behavioral Dynamics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3739-1637
Erik ThulinCenter for Social Norms and Behavioral Dynamics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1410-5594
University of Pennsylvania · USEmory University · USUniversity of Manchester · GB

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundInconsistent toilet usage is a continuing challenge in India. Despite the impact of social expectations on toilet usage, few programs and studies have developed theoretically grounded norm-centric behavior change interventions to increase toilet use in low-income settings.

objectiveThe objective of this paper is to detail the rationale and design of an ex ante, parallel cluster-randomized trial evaluating the impact of a demand-side, norm-centric behavior change intervention on exclusive toilet use and maintenance in peri-urban Tamil Nadu, India.

methodsFollowing formative research, we developed an evidence-based norm-centric behavior change intervention called Nam Nalavazhvu (Tamil for "our well-being"). The multilevel intervention aims to improve toilet usage by shifting empirical expectations or beliefs about other relevant people's sanitation practices. It also provides action-oriented information to aid individuals to set goals and overcome barriers to own, consistently use, and maintain their toilets. This trial includes 76 wards in the Pudukkottai and Karur districts, where half were randomly assigned to receive the intervention and the remaining served as counterfactuals.

resultsWe enrolled wards and conducted a baseline survey among randomly selected individuals in all 76 wards. The 1-year behavior change intervention is currently ongoing. At the endline, we will collect relevant data and compare results between study arms to determine the impacts of the Nam Nalavazhvu intervention on sanitation-related behavioral, health, and well-being outcomes and potential moderators. This study is powered to detect differences in the prevalence of exclusive toilet use between study arms. We are also conducting a process evaluation to understand the extent to which the intervention was implemented as designed, given the special pandemic context.

conclusionsFindings from this trial will inform norm-centric behavior change strategies to improve exclusive toilet usage.

trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT04269824; https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04269824. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/24407.

Indexed as

behavior changesanitationsocial normstoilet

Identifiers

PMID33938805
PMCPMC8129879
OpenAlexW3158853178

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.