Behavioral Economics Field Experiment in HIV Testing

Summary

The investigators propose to conduct a randomized controlled trial in collaboration with the Fundacion Raices, a non-governmental organization (NGO) with strong ties to the local community of Esmeraldas, Ecuador. A total of about 3,000 subjects will be involved in the full-scale study over the course of 2 years. In partnership with the Fundacion Raices, the research team will set up stands at four public places in the city of Esmeraldas: the "malecon" (esplanade on the town's waterfront), the "Centro Comercial Multiplaza" (Esmeraldas' large shopping mall), the municipal market (a popular destination for groceries, etc.), and a public park located in the city center. Each stand will feature a sign inviting individuals to stop and "get their health checked", and will provide free refreshments (juice boxes and water). A monitor will approach individuals at the malecon/shopping center/municipal market/public park and ask whether they are interested to learn about a health initiative by the Fundacion Raices and a group of public health researchers. If an individual is interested, the monitor will begin the three steps of the experiment:

1. Participants fill out a brief, anonymous survey with demographics, socio- economic characteristics, and whether they have been tested for HIV/AIDS in the past.
2. Participants receive the script and actions associated with the experimental condition into which they are assigned to according to the randomization table.

There are three experimental conditions:

T1 = "Information". T2 = "Active Choice". T3 = "Monetary incentive".
3. Whether participants subsequently showed up at a medical facility to get tested for HIV/AIDS is noted in the record.

Conditions

• HIV/AIDS Serodiagnosis

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Monetary Incentive

Subjects in this condition will be read a script informing them of the benefits and importance of routine HIV/AIDS testing for themselves, the benefits for one's partner and loved ones, and for the broader community; they are also given a flyer including the same information.Iin addition, they will be told that if they will get tested for HIV/AIDS within the next two weeks, they will receive $10 (the US dollar became Ecuador's official currency in 2001).

BEHAVIORAL

Information

Subjects assigned to this condition are read a script informing them of the benefits and importance of routine HIV/AIDS testing for themselves, the benefits for one's partner and loved ones, and for the broader community; they are also given a flyer including the same information. Then, they are invited to get tested in the next two weeks.

BEHAVIORAL

Active Choice

Subjects in this condition will receive the same information and flyer as in T1; in addition, they are told that they have the opportunity to express their intention to get tested for HIV/AIDS. To this aim, they will be given a sheet of paper and asked to tick one of two boxes. The first box will say "I intend to get tested within the next two weeks", and the second will say "I will consider getting tested within the next two weeks but I am not ready to commit at this time". They will also be asked to write their initials at the bottom of the sheet, and will be told to keep it. This is a form of "soft commitment" which has proven effective in other contexts (Bryan et al. 2010).

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Universidad San Francisco de Quito

  collaborator OTHER

• University of South Florida

  collaborator OTHER

• Johns Hopkins University

  lead OTHER

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

SCREENING

Masking

SINGLE

Model

FACTORIAL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2017-06-12

Primary Completion

2019-01-01

Completion

2019-01-01

Countries

• Ecuador

Study Locations