Personal financial incentives can change habitual health-related behaviors and help reduce health inequalities .
However , their role in reducing disease burden is potentially limited given current evidence that effects dissipate beyond three months post-incentive removal
OBJECTIVES Uncertainty remains about whether personal financial incentives could achieve sustained changes in health-related behaviors that would reduce the fast-growing global non-communicable disease burden .
This review aims to estimate whether : i. financial incentives achieve sustained changes in smoking , eating , alcohol consumption and physical activity ; ii .
effectiveness is modified by ( a ) the target behavior , ( b ) incentive value and attainment certainty , ( c ) recipients ' deprivation level .
Partners in Lowering Cholesterol: Comparison of a Multidisciplinary Educational Program, Monetary Incentives, or Usual Care in the Treatment of Dyslipidemia Identified Among Employees
Objective : We sought to assess whether either a low-cost educational intervention or small monetary incentive is more effective than usual care in lowering  low-density lipoprotein ( LDL ) cholesterol among employees . Methods : Employees with an LDL-C > 130 mg/dL were eligible . After receiving on-line educational material s , subjects were assigned to three groups : group 1 received $ 100 if they reduced their LDL-C by 15 % within 6 months , group 2 participated in a multi-disciplinary educational program , and group 3 received no further intervention . Results : In total , 171 employees participated . Baseline mean LDL-C was 156 mg/dL. Approximately 6 months after r and omization , mean LDL-C was reduced 17.9 mg/dL ( 11.3 % ) in group 1 , 17.9 mg/dL ( 11.5 % ) in group 2 , and 5.5 mg/dL ( 3.5 % ) in group 3 . Reductions in groups 1 and 2 were statistically superior to group 3 ( P = 0.02 ) . Conclusions : Both an employer directed low-cost educational program and small monetary incentives similarly lowered LDL-C compared with usual care
Personal financial incentives can change habitual health-related behaviors and help reduce health inequalities .
However , their role in reducing disease burden is potentially limited given current evidence that effects dissipate beyond three months post-incentive removal
OBJECTIVES Uncertainty remains about whether personal financial incentives could achieve sustained changes in health-related behaviors that would reduce the fast-growing global non-communicable disease burden .
This review aims to estimate whether : i. financial incentives achieve sustained changes in smoking , eating , alcohol consumption and physical activity ; ii .
effectiveness is modified by ( a ) the target behavior , ( b ) incentive value and attainment certainty , ( c ) recipients ' deprivation level .