Effects of a water, sanitation, and hygiene mobile health program on diarrhea and child growth in Bangladesh: A cluster-randomized controlled trial of the cholera hospital-based intervention for 7 days (CHoBI7) mobile health program

Background: The Cholera Hospital-Based Intervention for 7 Days (CHoBI7) mobile health (mHealth) program was a cluster-randomized controlled trial of diarrhea patient households conducted in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Methods: Patients were block-randomized to 3 arms: standard message on oral rehydration solution use; health facility delivery of CHoBI7 plus mHealth (no home visits); and health facility delivery of CHoBI7 plus 2 home visits and mHealth. The primary outcome was reported diarrhea in the past 2 weeks collected monthly for 12 months. The secondary outcomes were stunting, underweight, and wasting at a 12-month follow-up. Analysis was intention-to-treat. Results: Between 4 December 2016 and 26 April 2018, 2626 participants in 769 households were randomly allocated to 3 arms: 849 participants to the standard message arm, 886 to mHealth with no home visits arm, and 891 to the mHealth with 2 home visits. Children <5 years had significantly lower 12-month diarrhea prevalence in both the mHealth with 2 home visits arm (prevalence ratio [PR]: 0.73 [95% confidence interval {CI},. 61-.87]) and the mHealth with no home visits arm (PR: 0.82 [95% CI,. 69-.97]). Children <2 years were significantly less likely to be stunted in both the mHealth with 2 home visits arm (33% vs 45%; odds ratio [OR]: 0.55 [95% CI,. 31-.97]) and the mHealth with no home visits arm (32% vs 45%; OR: 0.54 [95% CI,. 31-.96]) compared with children in the standard message arm. Conclusions: The CHoBI7 mHealth program lowered pediatric diarrhea and stunting among diarrhea patient households. Clinical Trials Registration: NCT04008134.