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Fields Changed

Registration

Field Before After
Study Withdrawn No
Intervention Completion Date July 25, 2019
Data Collection Complete Yes
Final Sample Size: Number of Clusters (Unit of Randomization) 1,232 men
Was attrition correlated with treatment status? No
Final Sample Size: Total Number of Observations 1,232
Final Sample Size (or Number of Clusters) by Treatment Arms 301 men control, 329 men offered appointments only, 295 men offered hard commitments only, 307 men offered both appointments and hard commitments
Is there a restricted access data set available on request? No
Program Files No
Data Collection Completion Date September 27, 2019
Is data available for public use? No
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Papers

Field Before After
Paper Abstract We show that ordinary appointments can act as effective substitutes for hard commitment devices and increase demand for a critical healthcare service, particularly among those with self-control problems. We show this using an experiment that randomly offered HIV testing appointments and hard commitment devices to high-risk men in Malawi. Appointments more than double testing rates, with effects concentrated among those who demand commitment. In contrast, most men who take up hard commitments lose their investments. Appointments overcome commitment problems without the potential drawback of commitment failure, and have the potential to increase demand for healthcare in the developing world.
Paper Citation Derksen, Laura, Jason Kerwin, Natalia Ordaz Reynoso, and Olivier Sterck. (2023). Healthcare Appointments as Commitment Devices. Working Paper.
Paper URL https://www.jasonkerwin.com/Papers/Appointments/DKOS_Appointments_Latest.pdf
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