LSE

LJE

Education & Health

Leveraging Technology to Promote Women's Health and Bargaining Power: Evidence from a Pilot Program

Project members:
Hamna Ahmed, Lahore School of Economics
Sadia Hussain, Lahore School of Economics
Muhammad Ahmed Nazif, Lahore School of Economics

This research is funded by the Lahore School Research Development Fund (LSRDF). We investigate the causal impact of offering telehealth services to female microfinance borrowers on their health and bargaining power in the household. Using a balanced panel of 1218 female borrowers, we observe a positive impact of offering telehealth services on self-reported physical and mental health of treated relative to control women. Treated women seek healthcare more proactively; they are more likely to consult a doctor and they do so sooner, as compared to control women. In addition, treated women report greater inclusion in household decision-making. We also find positive spillover effects of offering telehealth services within the household, where we observe a greater likelihood of the spouse and children (of treated women) to seek health care. (AEA RCT Registry, published in Geneva Papers on Risk and Insurance: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1057/s41288-019-00129-7 and the policy brief and policy papers are available here: www.creb.org.pk/uploads/Policy%2020Brief%20202-20.pdf
https://glabor.org/leveraging-technology-to-promote-womens-health-evidence-from-a-pilot-program-a-new-glo-discussion-paper-by-glo-affiliate-sadia-hussain-and-colleagues/