Impact of Oportunidades Program on Health in Mexican Adults
Author Information
Author(s): Fernald Lia C H PhD, MBA, Hou Xiaohui PhD, Gertler Paul J PhD
Primary Institution: University of California, Berkeley
Hypothesis
The program participation requirements would counterbalance potential income effects, resulting in a net positive effect on BMI and blood pressure.
Conclusion
Participation in Oportunidades was associated with lower prevalence of obesity and hypertension and better self-reported health in adults in rural Mexico.
Supporting Evidence
- Intervention communities had a lower age- and sex-adjusted BMI compared to control communities.
- Prevalence of obesity was lower in the intervention group (20.28%) than in the control group (25.31%).
- Mean systolic and diastolic blood pressures were significantly lower in the intervention group.
- Self-reported health outcomes were better in the intervention group.
Takeaway
The Oportunidades program helps people in Mexico be healthier by giving them money if they go to the doctor and take care of their health.
Methodology
The study compared an intervention group of 5280 adults receiving program benefits with a control group of 1063 adults who had not yet begun receiving benefits, adjusting for various covariates.
Potential Biases
Recall biases may have affected the accuracy of self-reported data regarding household conditions.
Limitations
Some household and community characteristics were not similar across groups, and recall biases may have affected self-reported data.
Participant Demographics
Low-income, rural Mexican adults aged 30-65 years.
Statistical Information
P-Value
P < .001 for BMI and obesity prevalence differences.
Confidence Interval
95% CI for BMI difference: -0.47 (-0.97 to 0.03)
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
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