Improving Child Health with Concrete Floors at Home
Effects of household concrete floors on child health
This project looks at whether installing concrete floors in homes helps reduce infections and diarrhea in young children in rural Bangladesh.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Stanford University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Stanford, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11097197 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Many young children in certain areas suffer from infections and diarrhea, which can lead to poor growth and other health issues. While water, sanitation, and hygiene efforts are important, their impact on these infections has been limited. This project explores a different idea: whether having concrete floors instead of soil floors in homes can make a difference. Researchers will work with families in rural Bangladesh, installing concrete floors in some homes before a baby is born, and then follow the children's health for two years.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are pregnant women and their future children living in households with soil floors in rural Bangladesh.
Not a fit: Patients outside of rural Bangladesh or those not part of the specific age group and household conditions would not directly benefit from this particular intervention.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this project could show a simple, cost-effective way to significantly reduce common infections and improve the health of young children in vulnerable communities.
How similar studies have performed: Observational studies have suggested a link between concrete floors and lower infection rates, but this randomized trial aims to provide stronger evidence.
Where this research is happening
Stanford, United States
- Stanford University — Stanford, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Benjamin-Chung, Jade — Stanford University
- Study coordinator: Benjamin-Chung, Jade
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.