Can a hidden patient reveal why cheap diarrhea treatment is underused?
NCT ID NCT04833790
First seen Aug 05, 2026 · Last updated Aug 06, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This trial investigates why many children with diarrhea do not receive oral rehydration salts (ORS), a simple and inexpensive treatment that can prevent most diarrhea-related deaths. Researchers will send anonymous standardized patients to private healthcare providers, posing as caretakers of children with diarrhea, to observe whether ORS is prescribed or dispensed. The study also tests whether providing providers with a free supply of ORS or the patient's preference for ORS or antibiotics influences the care given. The goal is to uncover the reasons behind poor ORS delivery and inform strategies to improve child diarrhea treatment.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Behavioral interventions: free ORS supply and standardized patient visits with ORS or antibiotic preferences
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could identify practical ways to improve ORS delivery and reduce child deaths from diarrhea worldwide.
- What could go wrong
- The study is observational in nature and may not capture all real-world complexities. Results depend on provider behavior in a specific setting and may not generalize broadly.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Indian Institute of Management Bangalore
Bangalore, Karnataka, India