Prize draws for taking most pills may have raised HIV pill-taking a little
Who it’s about: Adults, People with a health condition
- Mixed
Prizes for taking at least 90 in 100 pills raised pill-taking slightly, though not clearly; prizes for showing up didn't.
Randomised trial of 155 adults with HIV at a clinic in Uganda · vs usual clinic care with no prize draw · behaviour was recorded · ⚠ summary claims more than the results show; numbers unreliable; many people dropped out
- No comparison
People who took pills at a set time, tied to an alarm or prayer, did better after prizes stopped.
- Action: Take your medicationused
- Rule: At the same time every dayused
- Rule: Anchor it to an old habitused
Randomised trial of 155 adults with HIV at a clinic in Uganda · no comparison group · behaviour was recorded · ⚠ summary claims more than the results show; numbers unreliable; many people dropped out
The study
Who took part
155 adults with HIV at a clinic in Kampala, Uganda, who had trouble taking their pills or keeping clinic visits. They were about 39 on average, and about 2 in 3 were women. 138 were counted at the end.
What they did
For 20 months, people in two groups could enter a prize draw at each clinic visit, about every 3 months. One group could enter if they came to the visit. The other could enter only if they had taken at least 90 in 100 of their pills. Prizes were small items like an umbrella or a mug. The third group got the clinic's usual care, advice on taking pills and free medicine, with no draw.
What happened
Over 20 months, the group rewarded for taking pills took about 5 more pills in 100 than usual care. That result was not quite clear. The group rewarded for coming to visits took about as many pills as usual care. Some people took pills at a set time, tied to an alarm, TV show or prayer. After the prizes stopped, they kept it up better. No one was assigned to do this. Many people dropped out, and the paper claims more than its numbers show, with some numbers that don't match.
Source
Uncovering a Behavioral Strategy for Establishing New Habits: Evidence from Incentives for Medication Adherence in Uganda (2020)
DOI: 10.1016/j.jhealeco.2021.102443 (opens in a new tab)Tools in this study
Rule · how5
Get a reward or payment for doing itIncentives, prizes, lotteries or points for doing it.
