Invitations, incentives, and conditions: A randomized evaluation of demand-side interventions for health screenings

Soc Sci Med. 2022 Mar:296:114763. doi: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2022.114763. Epub 2022 Jan 31.

Abstract

This randomized controlled trial investigates the impact of four demand-side interventions on health screening for diabetes and hypertension among Armenian adults. The interventions are 1) personalized invitations from a physician, 2) personalized invitations with information about peer screening behavior, 3) personalized invitations with a labeled but unconditional financial incentive, and 4) personal invitations with a conditional financial incentive. Compared with the control group, interventions 1 to 3 led to a significant increase in the screening rate of about 15 percentage points for diabetes and hypertension. The highest impact was measured for intervention 4 leading to a 31.2 percentage point increase in both screenings.

Keywords: Conditional cash transfers; Diabetes; Health screenings; Hypertension; Incentives; Invitations; Non-communicable diseases; Primary care.

Publication types

  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Humans
  • Hypertension*
  • Mass Screening
  • Motivation*