The Effects of Community and Household Interventions on Birth Outcomes: Evidence from Indonesia

Margaret Triyana, University of Chicago

Developing countries have used different strategies to improve health outcomes, including birth outcomes. This paper compares the effectiveness of a household and a community based conditional cash transfer (CCT) programs that have been implemented in Indonesia. In comparable communities, under matching, both programs increase the number of prenatal visits and birth at a facility. Both programs have no statistically significant effect on the incidence of low birth weight, but the household CCT program reduces the incidence of preterm birth and increases gestational age. These findings suggest that both types of CCT programs are effective in changing household behavior, but the household CCT program is more effective in improving birth outcomes.