Replacing dirt floors with concrete to protect young children's health
Effects of household concrete floors on child health
This project will install concrete floors in homes in rural Bangladesh to find out whether babies and toddlers have less diarrhea and worm infections.
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-11363494 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If my household has its dirt floor replaced with concrete before my baby is born, the team will follow my child at 6, 12, 18, and 24 months to check for infections and growth. They will enroll about 800 households where a woman is pregnant and randomly decide which homes get the new floor. The researchers will collect samples and health measurements to measure germs in the house and illness in children. Local Bangladeshi scientists and experienced teams will do the work in the community.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Pregnant women living in rural Bangladeshi households with dirt floors who are willing to have their floor replaced and to bring their child for scheduled follow-ups are the ideal participants.
Not a fit: Families who already have finished concrete floors, who live outside the study area, or children older than two years will not receive the flooring intervention or be eligible.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If the floors reduce germs and infections, families could see less diarrhea and worm-related illness and better early childhood growth.
How similar studies have performed: Observational studies have reported fewer infections in homes with concrete floors, but randomized trials are limited, so this trial tests whether the association reflects a true benefit.
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.