The impact of mass deworming programmes on schooling and economic development: An appraisal of long-term studies

Abstract

Three studies evaluating the long-term impacts of child mass deworming programs in Kenya and Uganda were identified and appraised using Cochrane methods. All studies had significant methodological limitations, including lack of preplanned protocols, unblinded analyses, and high risk of reporting and attrition bias. One study found a potential association between deworming and higher cognitive test scores in infants, but the analysis was underpowered and a causal pathway remains unclear. The remaining studies reported improvements in secondary school attendance and job sector allocation, but these findings stemmed from post hoc analyses that were not powered to detect such effects. While these studies generate hypotheses, their methodological shortcomings preclude them from providing reliable evidence of long-term impacts on health, schooling, and economic development.