Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/272395 
Year of Publication: 
2022
Series/Report no.: 
IZA Discussion Papers No. 15768
Publisher: 
Institute of Labor Economics (IZA), Bonn
Abstract: 
Lack of information about COVID-19 and its spread may have contributed to excess mortality at the pandemic's onset. In April and May 2020, we implemented a randomized controlled trial with more than 3,000 households in 150 Bangladeshi villages. Our one-to-one information campaign via phone stressed the importance of social distancing and hygiene measures, and illustrated the consequences of an exponential spread of COVID-19. We find that information provision improves knowledge about COVID-19 and induces significant behavioral changes. Information provision also yields considerably better health outcomes, most importantly by reducing the number of reported deaths by about 50% in treated villages.
Subjects: 
field experiment
COVID-19
information intervention
death rates
JEL: 
C93
D01
D91
I12
Document Type: 
Working Paper

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