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Using lotteries to incentivize safer sexual behavior : evidence from a randomized controlled trial on HIV prevention

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  • Nyqvist,Martina Björkman
  • Corno,Lucia
  • De Walque,Damien B. C. M.
  • Svensson,Jakob

Abstract

Financial incentives are a promising HIV prevention strategy. This paper assesses the effect on HIV incidence of a lottery program in Lesotho with low expected payments but a chance to win a high prize conditional on negative test results for sexually transmitted infections. The intervention resulted in a 21.4 percent reduction in HIV incidence over two years. Lottery incentives appear to be particularly effective for individuals willing to take risks. This paper estimates a model linking sexual behavior to HIV incidence and finds that risk-loving individuals reduce the number of unprotected sexual acts by 0.3/month for every $1 increase in the expected prize.

Suggested Citation

  • Nyqvist,Martina Björkman & Corno,Lucia & De Walque,Damien B. C. M. & Svensson,Jakob, 2015. "Using lotteries to incentivize safer sexual behavior : evidence from a randomized controlled trial on HIV prevention," Policy Research Working Paper Series 7215, The World Bank.
    • Handle: RePEc:wbk:wbrwps:7215
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    Cited by:

    1. Lucia Corno & Áureo de Paula, 2019. "Risky Sexual Behaviours: Biological Markers and Self‐reported Data," Economica, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 86(342), pages 229-261, April.
    2. Daniela Iorio & Raül Santaeulàlia-Llopis, 2011. "Education, HIV Status, and Risky Sexual Behavior: How Much Does the Stage of the HIV Epidemic Matter?," Working Papers 624, Barcelona School of Economics.
    3. Cassidy, Rachel & Groot Bruinderink, Marije & Janssens, Wendy & Morsink, Karlijn, 2021. "The power to protect: Household bargaining and female condom use," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 153(C).
    4. Gabriel Chamie & Alex Ndyabakira & Kara G Marson & Devy M Emperador & Moses R Kamya & Diane V Havlir & Dalsone Kwarisiima & Harsha Thirumurthy, 2020. "A pilot randomized trial of incentive strategies to promote HIV retesting in rural Uganda," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(5), pages 1-10, May.
    5. Augustine T Choko & Sophie Candfield & Hendramoothy Maheswaran & Aurelia Lepine & Elizabeth Lucy Corbett & Katherine Fielding, 2018. "The effect of demand-side financial incentives for increasing linkage into HIV treatment and voluntary medical male circumcision: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials ," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 13(11), pages 1-15, November.
    6. Marco Fabbri & Paolo Nicola Barbieri & Maria Bigoni, 2019. "Ride Your Luck! A Field Experiment on Lottery-Based Incentives for Compliance," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 65(9), pages 4336-4348, September.
    7. Jessica E. Taaffe & Andrew F. Longosz & David Wilson, 2017. "Themed Issue: Cash Transfers and Microfinance," Development Policy Review, Overseas Development Institute, vol. 35(5), pages 601-619, September.
    8. Cooper, Jan E. & Dow, William H. & de Walque, Damien & Keller, Ann C. & McCoy, Sandra I. & Fernald, Lia C.H. & Balampama, Marianna P. & Kalolella, Admirabilis & Packel, Laura J. & Wechsberg, Wendee M., 2017. "Female sex workers use power over their day-to-day lives to meet the condition of a conditional cash transfer intervention to incentivize safe sex," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 181(C), pages 148-157.

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