Results Current evidence indicates that incentives can be effective in driving health behaviour change under certain provisos , while a number of misgivings continue to be deliberated on .
Conclusion These key principles can assist policy makers in making decisions on the use of financial incentives directed at achieving improvements in public health
Background The use of financial incentives or pay-for-performance programs for health care providers has triggered emerging interest in the use of financial incentives for encouraging health behaviour change .
Purpose This paper aims to identify key conditions under which the use of financial incentives for improvements in public health outcomes is most likely to be effective and appropriate .
Tuberculosis screening and compliance with return for skin test reading among active drug users.
OBJECTIVES This study assessed the independent and combined effects of different levels of monetary incentives and a theory-based educational intervention on return for tuberculosis ( TB ) skin test reading in a sample of active injection drug and crack cocaine users . Prevalence of TB infection in this sample was also determined . METHODS Active or recent drug users ( n = 1004 ) , recruited via street outreach techniques , were skin tested for TB . They were r and omly assigned to 1 of 2 levels of monetary incentive ( $ 5 and $ 10 ) provided at return for skin test reading , alone or in combination with a brief motivational education session . RESULTS More than 90 % of those who received $ 10 returned for skin test reading , in comparison with 85 % of those who received $ 5 and 33 % of those who received no monetary incentive . The education session had no impact on return for skin test reading . The prevalence of a positive tuberculin test was 18.3 % . CONCLUSIONS Monetary incentives dramatically increase the return rate for TB skin test reading among drug users who are at high risk of TB infection
Results Current evidence indicates that incentives can be effective in driving health behaviour change under certain provisos , while a number of misgivings continue to be deliberated on .
Conclusion These key principles can assist policy makers in making decisions on the use of financial incentives directed at achieving improvements in public health
Background The use of financial incentives or pay-for-performance programs for health care providers has triggered emerging interest in the use of financial incentives for encouraging health behaviour change .
Purpose This paper aims to identify key conditions under which the use of financial incentives for improvements in public health outcomes is most likely to be effective and appropriate .