Empower, Nudge: Increasing Dual Protection in South Africa

NCT ID: NCT02536612

Last Updated: 2021-07-23

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

Get a concise snapshot of the trial, including recruitment status, study phase, enrollment targets, and key timeline milestones.

Recruitment Status

COMPLETED

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

100 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2015-05-31

Study Completion Date

2016-06-30

Brief Summary

Review the sponsor-provided synopsis that highlights what the study is about and why it is being conducted.

The purpose of the study is to test feasibility and acceptability of a lottery to help women in Cape Town, South Africa to continue using long-acting reversible contraceptives to avoid unintended pregnancies, and to also use condoms to reduce sexually transmitted infections including HIV.

Detailed Description

Dive into the extended narrative that explains the scientific background, objectives, and procedures in greater depth.

The overall objective is to implement a pilot project offering conditional economic incentives (CEI) for dual protection (the prevention of HIV or other sexually transmitted infections and pregnancy via the simultaneous use of condoms plus effective contraception) among young women in Cape Town, South Africa, to test feasibility and acceptability, and to gather preliminary evidence on effect sizes to inform a future efficacy trial. CEI are an innovative structural approach for dual protection, which so far has not been tested in generalized HIV epidemic settings. The project has three aims. First, it will test the feasibility and acceptability of a conditional economic incentive (CEI) program to incentivize dual protection among young women in Cape Town. The working hypothesis is that a program with modest economic incentives in the form of a lottery to continue using modern contraception and stay free of sexually transmitted infections (STI) can be implemented among young women who express a desire to avoid unintended pregnancies. The hypothesis is that the CEI treatment group will exhibit greater program participation and retention rates as compared to the control group. Second, the study will obtain estimates of the effect of CEI on the primary outcomes (adherence to the dual protection regimen) through: (1) continuation of a contraceptive method of choice throughout the six month study period, and (2) self-reported condom use. Contraceptive continuation will be measured via clinic records (proxy for clinical checkup) at the 3 and 6 month follow up visits. Self-reported condom use will not be used to provide any incentives. The hypothesis is that receipt of CEI (lotteries) will be associated with higher rates of dual protection. Third, the study will examine the degree to which CEI (lotteries) impact secondary outcomes: a urine pregnancy test and STI status (measured at baseline and 6 month follow up). A selected STI (syphilis) will be monitored for assessment of the STI outcome, using a rapid test that can be administered at clinic level. The working hypothesis is that the participants in the CEI (lottery) treatment group will have reduced rates of STI and they will have lower rates of pregnancy.

This pilot trial will include young women, ages 18-40, recruited from a community clinic in Cape Town. A maximum of 96 women will be randomly assigned to one of two arms (n=48 each) in a randomized controlled trial design. In the trial, Arm 1 (control) will receive transport compensation for study visits at each of the study visits at baseline and at months 3 and 6. Arm 2 (intervention) will receive transport compensation for study visits at each visit at baseline and at months 3 and 6, plus the opportunity for entry in a lottery. Participants in Arm 2 will have a chance to receive two lottery tickets: (a) the first when returning by month 3, subject to confirmation of continued use of the participant's preferred contraceptive; (b) the second upon completion of the six month study period, subject to confirmation of continued use of the participant's preferred contraceptive over the course of the 6 month study period; and if they are free of a new curable STI. The lottery tickets will enter the participant into a drawing for a prize at month 3 and at the end of the six month study period. All participants will receive transport compensation each time at baseline, month 3 and month 6. There will be 15-20 minute follow-up sessions for everyone at months 3 and 6 when receiving STI results, and CEI (lotteries) for those in the treatment group. At month 3, follow-up sessions will include some reinforcement of key messages related to dual protection. At months 3 and 6, the follow-up sessions will include administration of the study questionnaire.

Conditions

See the medical conditions and disease areas that this research is targeting or investigating.

HIV Pregnancy STDs

Study Design

Understand how the trial is structured, including allocation methods, masking strategies, primary purpose, and other design elements.

Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

PREVENTION

Blinding Strategy

NONE

Study Groups

Review each arm or cohort in the study, along with the interventions and objectives associated with them.

Lottery

Conditional economic incentive (CEI) lotto arm participants will get a chance to win a type of lottery or "lotto" ticket with a 50% chance of winning each time: (a) if they come back to the clinic and are still using a modern contraception method after 3 months (including IUD, injectable contraceptive, or implant); (b) if they come back to the clinic and are still using modern contraception after 6 months; and (c) if they come back to the clinic at 6 months and they don't have a new curable STD (such as syphilis).

They will also will receive reimbursement to cover their transport and time at baseline, at 3 months and at 6 months.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Lottery

Intervention Type OTHER

Opportunity for entry in lottery (each time, at months 3 and 6).

No Lottery

Participants in the Control (No CEI Lotto) group will receive reimbursement to cover their transport and time at baseline, at 3 months and at 6 months; they will NOT have a chance to win a lottery even if they are still using a modern contraception and are free of new curable STDs.

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

No Lottery

Intervention Type OTHER

Transport compensation for study visits at baseline and at months 3 and 6. No chance to win lottery ticket.

Interventions

Learn about the drugs, procedures, or behavioral strategies being tested and how they are applied within this trial.

Lottery

Opportunity for entry in lottery (each time, at months 3 and 6).

Intervention Type OTHER

No Lottery

Transport compensation for study visits at baseline and at months 3 and 6. No chance to win lottery ticket.

Intervention Type OTHER

Other Intervention Names

Discover alternative or legacy names that may be used to describe the listed interventions across different sources.

Lotto; Empower Lotto Bowl

Eligibility Criteria

Check the participation requirements, including inclusion and exclusion rules, age limits, and whether healthy volunteers are accepted.

Inclusion Criteria

* Female
* ages 18-40 years
* Has been pregnant within the last 12 months (and has either delivered a baby, had a miscarriage, or an abortion within the last 12 months).
* Has chosen one of the following contraceptive methods: IUD, Implant, or injectable

Exclusion Criteria

* Unwillingness to sign an informed consent to participate in research
* Unwillingness to participate in the Control group, if so assigned in the randomization
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

40 Years

Eligible Sex

FEMALE

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sponsors

Meet the organizations funding or collaborating on the study and learn about their roles.

University of Cape Town

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

Brown University

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

Identify the individual or organization who holds primary responsibility for the study information submitted to regulators.

Omar Galarraga, PhD

Assistant Professor

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

Learn about the lead researchers overseeing the trial and their institutional affiliations.

Omar Galarraga, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Brown University School of Public Health

Abigail Harrison, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Brown University School of Public Health

Jane Harries, PhD

Role: STUDY_DIRECTOR

University of Cape Town

Locations

Explore where the study is taking place and check the recruitment status at each participating site.

Lady Michaelis Community Health Clinic

Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa

Site Status

Countries

Review the countries where the study has at least one active or historical site.

South Africa

References

Explore related publications, articles, or registry entries linked to this study.

Galarraga O, Harries J, Maughan-Brown B, Cooper D, Short SE, Lurie MN, Harrison A. The Empower Nudge lottery to increase dual protection use: a proof-of-concept randomised pilot trial in South Africa. Reprod Health Matters. 2018 Dec;26(52):1510701. doi: 10.1080/09688080.2018.1510701.

Reference Type RESULT
PMID: 30212281 (View on PubMed)

Sullivan ME, Harrison A, Harries J, Sicwebu N, Rosen RK, Galarraga O. Women's reproductive decision making and abortion experiences in Cape Town, South Africa: A qualitative study. Health Care Women Int. 2018 Nov;39(11):1163-1176. doi: 10.1080/07399332.2017.1400034. Epub 2017 Dec 15.

Reference Type RESULT
PMID: 29111909 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

Review additional registry numbers or institutional identifiers associated with this trial.

IIA14-68

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

More Related Trials

Additional clinical trials that may be relevant based on similarity analysis.

Testing the Efficacy of Safe South Africa
NCT06750107 ACTIVE_NOT_RECRUITING PHASE3
Botswana Combination Prevention Project
NCT01965470 COMPLETED PHASE4