Use of Behavioral Economics in Repeat SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) Antibody Testing in Disadvantaged Communities

Summary

Repeat testing for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in disadvantaged communities will help identify active and recovered infections over time, and as more is understood about antibody protection, it may help identify persons who have immunity. Many questions about social barriers and behavioral facilitators remain unanswered. This project aims to evaluate the effectiveness of risk-based messaging and incentives that promote repeated testing for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, as well as to understand social and behavioral determinants of COVID-19 testing and variations within sub-groups of this population.

Conditions

• SARS-CoV-2

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Family Risk Messaging

Family risk framing may engender concern for loved ones. It may also make it easier to mentally simulate family burdens with COVID-19 such as knowing how several people in the family becoming sick could adversely affect the lives of everyone in the family. Households randomized to family risk messaging will receive the following message: "Antibody testing will help you understand your family's risk of getting COVID-19."

BEHAVIORAL

Personal Risk Messaging

Personal risk framing may engender concern for oneself. Households randomized to personal risk messaging will receive the following message: "Antibody testing will help you understand your risk of getting COVID-19."

BEHAVIORAL

Loss Protection

Household members are offered a baseline incentive with a 90% (9 in 10) chance of $60 and receive insurance on winning the baseline incentive for repeat antibody testing.

BEHAVIORAL

Lottery Incentive

Household members are offered a baseline incentive with a 90% (9 in 10) chance of $60 and receive a bonus lottery incentive with a 4 small (1 in 25) chance of winning $150 for repeat antibody testing.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• AltaMed Health Services Corporation

  collaborator OTHER

• National Institute on Aging (NIA)

  collaborator NIH

• University of Southern California

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Jason Doctor, PhD · University of Southern California

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

HEALTH_SERVICES_RESEARCH

Masking

NONE

Model

FACTORIAL

Eligibility

Min Age

5 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2021-06-29

Primary Completion

2023-06-03

Completion

2023-06-03

Countries

• United States

Study Locations