The CHoBI7 (Cholera Hospital-Based Intervention for 7 Days) mobile health (mHealth) program was a cluster-randomized controlled trial conducted among households with diarrhoea patients in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Patients were allocated to one of three groups using block randomisation: 1) standard advice on oral rehydration solution use; 2) CHoBI7 health facility delivery with mHealth support, without home visits; and 3) CHoBI7 health facility delivery with mHealth support, including two home visits. Data on diarrhoea occurrences were collected monthly over a year. The primary measurement was the incidence of reported diarrhoea over the past two weeks, and secondary measurements included stunting, underweight, and wasting assessed at 12 months. The study followed an intention-to-treat analysis approach.
From December 4, 2016, to April 26, 2018, 2,626 participants across 769 households were divided into three groups: 849 received the standard message, 886 received mHealth support without home visits, and 891 received mHealth support with two home visits. The incidence of diarrhoea at 12 months for children under five years was significantly lower in the mHealth groups after two home visits. Additionally, children under two years in the mHealth groups were less likely to be stunted—33% versus 45% in the group with two home visits and 32% versus 45% in the group without home visits compared to those receiving the standard message.
