July 21, 2015 - Vancouver, Canada - Center for Global Health Policy: Science Speaks.
by Christine Lubinski
Two clinical trials evaluating the impact of cash incentives on HIV incidence in adolescents in South Africa found that such incentives had no impact on HIV rates while one saw a decrease in rates of herpes simplex virus.
Nearly 3,000 South African high school students in 14 schools in high HIV incidence communities near Durban participated in CAPRISA 007, which Quarraisha Abdool Karim presented findings from Tuesday. The study tested the impact of cash incentives provided to high school students conditional on their participation in a life skills program, passing grades in 6 month academic exams, acceptance of a HIV test and /or the submission of a report, on their rates of herpes simplex virus 2 infection and HIV infection following students who were randomized to the cash incentive arm or a control arm. Those in the cash incentive group could receive up to $150 a month for participation in one or more of the activities. HIV and HSV2 testing was done at the beginning of the study and repeated at 12 and 24 months. Most of the students in the conditional cash incentive group chose participation in the life skills program and HIV testing to earn cash. Continue reading...