Leveraging technology to promote women’s health: Evidence from a pilot program. A new GLO Discussion Paper by GLO Affiliate Sadia Hussain and colleagues.

Discussion Paper, News, Post, Post-21

A new GLO Discussion Paper observes a positive impact of telehealth services on self-reported physical and mental health.

Sadia Hussain

GLO Discussion Paper No. 939, 2021

Leveraging technology to promote women’s health: Evidence from a pilot program – Download PDF
by Ahmad, Hamna & Hussain, Sadia & Nazif, Muhammad Ahmed

GLO Affiliate Sadia Hussain

Author Abstract: 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.

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