Evaluation of a Project to Distribute Water Filters and Cook Stoves in Western Rwanda--Phase 1B

Assessing the Impact of Water Filters and Improved Cook Stoves on Drinking Water and Quality and Indoor Air Pollution: A Matched Cohort Study in Rwanda

DelAgua Health and Development, Manna Energy and the Rwanda Ministry of Health are collaborating on a project financed by carbon credits that will distribute household-based water filters and high-efficiency cook stoves to approximately 600,000 households in Rwanda. Prior to the full roll out of the campaign, the implementers are conducting research in connection with a distribution among 2000 households in western Rwanda. The objective of this matched cohort study (Phase 1B)are to investigate whether the filters and stoves delivered in October 2012 are still performing and in use, to determine whether they are associated with reductions in exposure to pathogens from drinking water and stoves, and to assembly information on health and other conditions necessary for the design of a large scale health impact evaluation.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Focus of Study is to Assess Filter and Stove Use and Efficacy in Reducing Exposure to Waterborne and Airborne Pathogens

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Actual): 1035

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Rwanda
  • PO Box 1594
    • Kigali, PO Box 1594, Rwanda
      • DelAgua Health Rwanda

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Child; Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

• Sampling Method: Probability Sample

Study Population

Lower income (ubudehe groups 1 and 2) householders from 18 villages (9 intervention and matched controls) in 11 designated Districts in Rwanda: Rutsiro, Karongi, Ngororero, Nyamasheke, Nyabihu Districts of Western Province (excluding part of the district to the north of the Ruhengeri road); Rubuvu District (excluding part of the district to the north of the Ruhengeri road); Nyaruguru, Nyamagabe, Muhanga, and Ruhango Districts in Southern Province; Gakenke District in Northern Province.

Description

Households will be eligible to participate in the study if they reside in selected villages and are willing to participate after receiving complete details regarding the study. Intervention households must have a functioning stove and water filter in order to participate, though they do not need to be in regular use. We will enroll all households with a child under 5 years of age if they are in Ubudehe groups 1 or 2.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Observational Models: Cohort
• Time Perspectives: Prospective

Number of groups / cohorts

2

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort
Household water filter and improved cook stove; Vestergaard-Frandsen LifeStraw Family 2.0 filter and Ecozoom stove
Control; Traditional water management practices and cooking stoves

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Personal exposure to PM2.5 and CO (mg/m3)	PM2.5 and CO concentrations will be measure in mg/m3 and reported as the mean concentration over 48 hours.	10 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Thermotolerant coliforms (TTC) in colony forming units (CFU) per 100ml of sample water	TTC will be measured as the total number of colony forming units (CFU) of TTC in the water sample and will be reported as number of CFU per 100ml of sample water.	10 months

Other Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Blood pressure		10 months
Blood pressure covariates		10 months
Use of filter and stove		10 months
Exposure to PM2.5 and CO in primary cooking areas (mg/m3)	PM2.5 and CO concentrations during the 48 hour sampling period	10 months

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
• Collaborators: University of Colorado, Boulder; Ministry of Health, Rwanda; Portland State University; DelAgua
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Thomas F Clasen, PhD, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: October 1, 2013
• Primary Completion (Actual): December 31, 2016
• Study Completion (Actual): December 31, 2016

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: November 8, 2013
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: November 23, 2013
• First Posted (Estimate): November 28, 2013

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): March 13, 2017
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 9, 2017
• Last Verified: March 1, 2017

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Focus of study is to assess filter/stove use and efficacy in reducing exposure to waterborne and airborne pathogens.
• Other Study ID Numbers: 6457