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Increasing access to quality health care is essential to improving health outcomes in developing countries, yet barriers related to availability, cost, geographical access, quality of services, as well as misperceptions of available health services, hamper access to quality healthcare. IPA has evaluated many programs that aim to reduce these barriers.

A large body of evidence suggests that behavioral biases, such as limited attention or loss aversion, can cause people to make choices that do not always enhance their welfare. IPA uses insights from behavioral economics to develop, rigorously evaluate, and scale products and product features that help low- to moderate-income households lead healthier financial lives. IPA has carried out behavioral economic research in Peru, Rwanda...

How can we optimize charitable donations to do the most good? IPA’s research in this area looks at topics such as the effects of matching contributions, donor responsiveness to information on charities, and what motivates donors to give, among other topics.

A commitment is a choice that an individual makes in the present to restrict their choices in the future, often as a means of controlling future impulsive behavior and attaining long-term goals. Much of IPA's research around commitments has focused on evaluating financial products with commitment features, which are designed to help the poor become better prepared for emergencies or other potential financial setbacks.

Conflict leads to development setbacks across all sectors of society. IPA’s research on conflict and post-conflict forms a small, yet expanding, body of our work. Thus far, we have evaluated programs aimed at reintegrating former fighters into society, reducing gender-based violence, protecting youth in war, and other topics. Our Peace & Recovery Program is currently developing new evaluations in this area.

IPA is working to contribute meaningful data, evidence, and analysis to the governments and organizations responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. Read the latest analyses, news, and information about our response.

Crisis includes natural, health, and human made disasters. Responding to and preventing crisis is a key to improving the lives of the poor especially in fragile states. IPA’s work in this space includes studies both during and after the Ebola crisis.

Early childhood development (ECD) connects the physical, social, economic, and cognitive advancement of children with improving their care and education. Even though early educational experiences can have a significant impact on future learning and productivity, early childhood care and education remains underdeveloped in many low income countries. IPA’s work in ECD explores how to ensure kids receive the early education and early cognitive...

Electoral participation varies greatly by country, and can be influenced by whether or not voters are given an incentive or how much information they actually have about candidates. IPA research in this area has ranged from the impact of voter knowledge in Sierra Leone to voter incentives, such as bribes, in the Philippines.

There is a large unmet need for contraception and family planning worldwide. Family planning and contraceptive use is a particular concern in sub-Saharan Africa due to persistently high rates of HIV/AIDS and a high incidence of maternal mortality. IPA’s research on this topic includes examining incentives to use contraception and how factors like information and gender dynamics influence childbearing choices.

Food security includes the access, availability, and use of food for a household. Since agriculture is the largest employment sector in most low-income countries and is directly linked to a household's food security, IPA's research on food security evaluates questions aimed at increasing agricultural productivity through technology adoption, improved farming techniques, and access to food markets.

Improving access to quality health services, and promoting use of health-promoting services and products, is a global policy priority. Yet lack of income, inadequate health services, poor infrastructure, and many other factors continue to inhibit progress in this area. IPA has a strong and expanding body of research on this topic, with more than 150 evaluations, either completed or in progress, that measure the impact of health-related...

Managerial training and consulting are popular programs used to promote the growth of individuals and businesses. It is unclear, however, whether businesses actually apply what they learned in training, and whether applying the lessons translates into higher profits. IPA has worked with researchers on multiple research studies that aim to identify if and how training, consulting, and mentoring programs can sustainably improve business...

Incentives may nudge individuals to behave differently or make different choices in health, education, and other spheres of life. Our research in this area has included evaluating how incentives influence teacher performance, the recruitment of health workers, demand for learning one’s HIV status, and the distribution of contraception.

Many people in the developing world, from shop owners to farmers, face risk from hazards such as weather, disease, or theft, but largely lack insurance to manage these risks. For farmers, risk of bad weather may be preventing them from investing and yielding more from their crops, while health insurance can provide another important safety net. IPA’s research in this area explores how insurance can help protect the poor from unexpected...

IPA is investigating many ways to help the poor boost the income they get from their work. Methods range from improving farming yields, to land and property ownership, to improving understanding of credit markets for farmers and productivity boosts for small and medium enterprises.

Substantial progress has been made worldwide in reducing child deaths over the last 25 years, yet on average 17,000 children under five still die every day, mostly from preventable causes and treatable diseases. IPA is evaluating approaches that address the problems from different perspectives, such as how to best communicate health advice to mothers, nutrition, healthcare delivery systems, safe water, and childhood deworming.

Microcredit is the provision of credit services to underserved populations. IPA's evaluations in this area aim to shed light on the underlying financial services needs of poor clients and how different financial services impact the lives of the poor. Evidence thus far suggests that microcredit, the small loans aimed at helping the poor become entrepreneurs, are not an effective poverty alleviation tool as once thought, but other products and ...

Migrating from one's home country is one way the poor seek to find new opportunities, mitigate hardship, and improve their lives. While a lot of the attention on migration is around the impact on rich countries, IPA’s work on migration focuses primarily on how migration impacts the wellbeing of the migrants and their home communities.

Poor or inadequate nutrition not only has negative health consequences, but can also have affect school attendance, labor force participation, and productivity. IPA's research in this area includes evaluating the impact of a combined nutrition and WASH intervention, and investigating how to increase the provision of toxin-free maize in Kenya.

Access to primary education has expanded over the last two decades, yet progress on increasing access to secondary school has been much slower. Although relatively few young people make it to high school, furthering one's education is thought to have large impacts not only on future earnings, but also on health, gender equality, and civic participation. More evidence is needed to determine just what the impacts are, however. IPA's research on...

Developing countries often have low adoption rates of new products that could potentially boost livelihoods, increase income and encourage productivity. The reasons for low take-up of these products could be that they are not designed in ways that fit the particular needs of the target population, or that the products are not easily attainable. IPA studies focus on designing products that address the specific contexts of the intended users...

Products that remind people to save may improve individuals' ability to take future needs into account, stall unnecessary consumption in the present, and change savings behavior. Furthermore, reminders to save money, such as in the form of a text message or letter, may also encourage people to commit to their savings goals. IPA's research on this topic has evaluated the effectiveness of savings reminders and/or products in a number of...

Increasing school attendance is a critical factor in determining a population’s ability to pull themselves out of poverty. Low school attendance can make it difficult for countries to spread important health information, teach real-world skills, and ultimately grow their economies. IPA’s evaluations on increasing school attendance coincide with many additional benefits, including girls’ empowerment, children’s health, and incentives programs...

Training and mentoring is an effective way to teach possible solutions, and for trainees to gain hands-on experience. Increasing financial awareness, building economic and social empowerment among women, and decreasing youth unemployment are just a few areas where IPA incorporates training and mentoring as a way to solve these issues.

An estimated billion people around the world live on $1.25 or less, are known as the ultra-poor and face their own unique challenges. IPA is testing a number of programs designed to reach this population and help them into more sustainable livelihoods.

Helping young adults find jobs is a goal of policymakers in emerging economies, where high rates of unemployment keep families in poverty. Job training programs, and in particular apprenticeship training with private-sector informal firms, could expand labor market opportunities for young people by providing them with relevant on-the-job experience and market-ready skills. IPA’s research in this area includes apprenticeship training for youth...

Policymakers around the world have recognized the important role women play in promoting stable, healthy, and economically prosperous communities. Yet women, especially young women and girls, are often among the most vulnerable and disadvantaged in poor countries. IPA's research in this area examines programs that work to keep girls in school, improve health, create income opportunities, and increase women’s empowerment at home and in their...