Flushed with Success : How Participation in Social Schemes Influence Toilet Adoption in Rural India

This study investigates the impact of participation in a social scheme on toilet adoption and soap usage, while addressing the issue of self-selection bias. Using a linear probability model, we find that households receiving treatment were significantly more likely to adopt a toilet and use soap (for hand wash) than non-participants. However, to address the potential for self-selection bias, we implement Propensity Score Matching (PSM) to create reasonable counterfactuals for the treatment group. Results from both radius matching and nearest-neighbor matching indicate that households receiving treatment were significantly more likely to adopt a toilet and use soap than non-participants. Our study highlights the importance of addressing self-selection bias when estimating the impact of participation in social schemes on sanitation. The findings provide important insights for policymakers seeking to improve sanitation outcomes through social interventions