Research Driven
Can financial and social incentives motivate higher adherence?
What role can financial and social incentives play in motivating people to take their medication as prescribed? Is it loss aversion, a lottery, sharing with a friend or family member, rewards or some other mix of incentives?
Vitality is supporting a study by behavioral economics Professor Dan Ariely of Duke University. Ariely’s research team is conducting a series of experiments to evaluate what financial and social incentives motivate people to take a daily pill or vitamin.
“Suppose your doctor tells you that you need to get your cholesterol checked. That means fasting the night before the blood test, driving to the lab the next morning without breakfast, sitting in a crowded reception room for what seems like hours and finally, having the nurse come and get you so that so she can stick a needle into your arm. Facing those prospects, you immediately begin to procrastinate. But suppose the doctor charged you an up-front $100 deposit for the test, refundable only if you showed up promptly at the appointed time. Would you be more likely to show up for the test?”
—page 119, Predictably Irrational