OBJECTIVES: Equity is crucial to ensure that every child reaches their full potential. This scoping review aimed to examine how equity is integrated into economic evaluations of early childhood development interventions in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs).

METHODS: We searched three electronic databases with search terms including equity, early childhood development intervention, economic evaluation, and LMICs. We included all interventions that aimed to improve child development through health, nutrition, security and safety, responsive caregiving, and early learning interventions. Studies published in English peer-reviewed journals in the year 2000 and later were included.

RESULTS: The review included 24 cost-effectiveness studies out of 1,460 identified articles based on eligibility criteria. The included studies addressed health, nutrition, social protection, and water, sanitation and hygiene interventions for child development. The common type of intervention was immunization. Mostly, equity was measured using household wealth or geographic areas, and the study findings were presented through subgroup analyses. The study settings were LMICs, but most studies were conducted by research teams from high-income countries. Overall, 63% of included studies reported that early childhood development interventions improved equity with greater intervention benefits observed in disadvantaged groups.

CONCLUSIONS: Consideration of equity in evaluations of early childhood interventions provides a more complete picture of cost-effectiveness, and can improve equity. Greater focus on promoting equity consideration in economic evaluations, multi-sectoral interventions, and researchers in LMICs would support evidence-based interventions and policies to achieve equity in childhood development.