Evaluation of the impacts of loans for Microcredit clients in South Africa

ISRCTN	ISRCTN10734925
DOI	https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN10734925
ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT)	NCT00700349
Protocol serial number	N/A
Sponsor	Innovations for Poverty Action (USA)
Funders	Broadening Access and Strengthening Input Market Systems (BASIS)/USAID (Collaborative Research Support Program [CRSP])(USA), US National Science Foundation (ref: SES-0424067), US National Science Foundation CAREER (ref: SES-05478984), Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation through the Financial Access Initiative (USA), Princeton University Center for Migration (USA), Social Science Research Council, Program in Applied Economics (USA), Federal Reserve Bank of New York (USA)

Submission date: 13/06/2008
Registration date: 24/06/2008
Last edited: 25/01/2019

Recruitment status: No longer recruiting
Overall study status: Completed
Condition category: Mental and Behavioural Disorders

Prospectively registered

Protocol

Statistical analysis plan

Results

Individual participant data

Plain English summary of protocol

Not provided at time of registration

Contact information

Ms Rita Hamad
Scientific

c/o UCB-UCSF Joint Medical Program
570 University Hall #1190
Berkeley, CA
94720
United States of America

Study information

Primary study design	Interventional
Study design	Randomised controlled trial
Secondary study design	Randomised controlled trial
Scientific title	Evaluation of impacts of access to credit and loan size for Microcredit clients in South Africa
Study objectives	If small loans help to increase income, this could alleviate depression and stress among borrowers, particularly for women who experience increases in social and economic status. On the other hand, coping with debt and business pressure may lead to poor mental health, particularly for women who remain obligated to carrying out household work as well. Thus, in theory the sign of the effect of small loans on mental health outcomes is ambiguous.
Ethics approval(s)	Princeton University Institutional Review Panel. Date of approval: 14/01/2004 (ref: HSP B.399)
Health condition(s) or problem(s) studied	Mental health
Intervention	This is a randomised study conducted within several cities in South Africa. The collaborating organisation is a micro-lender in South Africa. Participants in this study were those who were initially rejected by the organisation. They were then randomised to one of two arms: 1. Not receiving a loan 2. Being re-considered for a "second look." Of those in the second arm, 53% were then selected to receive a standard loan for first-time borrowers. Accepted applicants were offered an interest rate, loan size, and maturity per the lender's standard underwriting criteria, involving a 4-month maturity at 11.75% per month, charged on the original balance (200% annual percentage rate). All data were collected at only one timepoint, approximately 6-12 months after subjects first applied for their loan and were randomised to one of the two study arms. Data were collected from March to November 2005.
Intervention type	Other
Primary outcome measure(s)	1. Depressive symptoms, measured using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), a 20-item questionnaire (0 = no risk, 60 = highest risk) 2. Perceived stress, measured using the Cohen's Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), a 10-item questionnaire (0 = no stress, 40 = high stress) Timepoints of data collection: see Interventions
Key secondary outcome measure(s)	Household income, measured by a variety of questions that asked about all sources of income obtained by all members of the applicant's household. Timepoints of data collection: see Interventions
Completion date	30/11/2004

Eligibility

Participant type(s)	Patient
Age group	Adult
Lower age limit	18 Years
Sex	All
Target sample size at registration	3000
Key inclusion criteria	1. Individuals (both men and women) who had applied to a micro-lender organisation and were initially rejected for non-fraudulent or non-overindebtness reasons. 2. Above 18 years old
Key exclusion criteria	None
Date of first enrolment	01/09/2004
Date of final enrolment	30/11/2004

Locations

Countries of recruitment

South Africa
United States of America

Study participating centre

c/o UCB-UCSF Joint Medical Program

Berkeley, CA
94720
United States of America

Results and Publications

Individual participant data (IPD) Intention to share	No
IPD sharing plan summary	Not provided at time of registration
IPD sharing plan

Study outputs

Output type	Details	Date created	Date added	Peer reviewed?	Patient-facing?
Results article	results	01/12/2008	25/01/2019	Yes	No

Editorial Notes

25/01/2019: Publication reference added