The impact of conditional cash transfers on child health in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic review

Abstract

The review suggests that to a large extent, CCTs are effective in improving child health by addressing child health determinants such as access to health care, child and maternal nutrition, morbidity risk, immunisation coverage, and household poverty in developing countries particularly middle-income countries. Of importance to both policy and practice, it appears that CCTs require effective functioning of health care systems to effectively promote child health.

Family Assisted Contingency Management within the Context of Evidence-Supported Treatment for Child Neglect and Drug Abuse

“…Consistent with the reviewed findings of Owusu-Addo and Cross (2014), we believe CM approaches are capable of addressing child neglect by focusing on its antecedent stimuli, and using rewards that are culturally and environmentally appropriate, salient (Lussier et al, 2006), and more reinforcing than behaviors that are associated with child neglect (Kirby, Benishek, Dugosh, & Kerwin, 2006). For instance, a baby’s rash may be prevented by teaching a significant other to contingently reward caregiver efforts to check diapers every few hours by cooking dinner, or a child’s illness may be prevented by contingently providing backrubs to a caregiver for her efforts to assure children are seeing a medical doctor regularly, wearing coats, eating healthy meals and so on.…”

“…Although CM methods (i.e. Conditional Cash Transfer; CCT) have been implemented by government agencies to enhance the utilization of health services and the overall well-being of children in poverty (Owusu-Addo & Cross, 2014), these methods have yet to be utilized in the behavioral treatment of families who have evidenced child neglect. There are two important factors that may have contributed to the absence of CM approaches in child neglect: (1) child neglect includes a wide-array of often co-existing and complicated antecedents that are difficult to manage in existing CM systems, and (2) it is relatively difficult to determine target behaviors because child neglect involves the omission of desired behaviors (Lutzker, 1990).…”

Examination of the Extent to which Employment Factors are Associated with Reduced Child Maltreatment Potential and Drug Use

“…Attempts have been made to improve the health of impoverished children through contingent provision of cash to their caregivers for involving them in health services (Owusu-Addu & Cross, 2014; Roelen, 2014). Along this vein, Cancian, Yang and Slack (2013) found a slight increase in welfare benefits to low income mothers significantly reduced the number of times these mothers were reported to CPS.…”

Cash Transfers and Child Nutrition

“…In fact, many authors reviewing the evidence of CT programmes in relation to nutritional status call for more attention to the pathways of impact Glassman et al, 2013;Hoddinott, 2010;Lagarde et al, 2009;Leroy et al, 2009;Owusu-Addo & Cross, 2014;van den Bold et al, 2013). Furthermore, additional research is needed from the SSA region, as much of the non-impact results come from Latin America.…”

“…Fernald et al, 2012;Glassman et al, 2013;Hoddinott, 2010;Lagarde et al, 2009;Leroy et al, 2009;Owusu-Addo & Cross, 2014;van den Bold et al, 2013). None of these reviews find conclusive evidence of a positive impact on child nutritional status and several authors point out that the pathways of impact are not clearly understood.…”