DigitalECD - Digital support systems to improve child health and development in low income settings - a randomized controlled trial
Project Abstract
Children in low and middle income countries continue to be exposed to large amount of adversity, undermining their health and early development. While a large number of programs have been launched recently to support children in their home environment, the best ways to reach families in low income settings remain unclear. In this study we will assess the impact of a newly developed virtual platform designed to support parents of young children in low resource settings. The Afinidata platform was launched in 2017 to support caregivers online via social media messengers that are now almost universally used in low and middle income countries. The Afinidata platform allows caregivers to get answers to questions about child health and development, while also identifying and promoting age- and development-appropriate activities for parents to support their children. Given that the software is currently only available in Spanish, we will collaborate with partners in Peru to rigorously assess the reach, impact and costeffectiveness of this platform in a poor rural population through a randomized controlled
trial. If successful, this platform has the potential to reach millions of children and their parents globally, improving both their short- and long-term wellbeing.
