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A Field Experiment to Assess the Demand for HIV Self-Tests in Zimbabwe

NCT ID: NCT03559959

Last Updated: 2019-02-28

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

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Recruitment Status

COMPLETED

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

4000 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2018-02-15

Study Completion Date

2018-05-25

Brief Summary

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This study is a field experiment in peri-urban and rural communities near Harare, Zimbabwe, that seeks to estimate the likelihood that individuals will purchase HIV self-tests under various pricing and distribution strategies. About 4,000 adults will be randomly selected, administered a short questionnaire, and given vouchers that will offer them HIV self-tests at randomly allocated prices and distribution sites. The study will also test whether the provision of HIV self-tests can be targeted more cost-effectively to reach high-risk persons and non- recent testers. Last, the study will explore whether demand for repeated HIV self-testing is contingent on the price offered initially.

Detailed Description

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This study is a field experiment that seeks to obtain "revealed preference" estimates of the likelihood that individuals will purchase oral fluid-based HIV self-tests at alternative prices. Such an approach is useful for estimating the price sensitivity (or elasticity) of demand for HIV self-tests. The study will also estimate the extent to which demand for self-tests differs by certain distribution channels such as retail outlets, public sector health facilities, and other community-based venues. Importantly, the experiment will also test whether the provision of HIV self-tests can be targeted more cost-effectively to reach high-risk persons and non-recent testers by examining the demand for self-tests in these populations in responses to various prices and distribution strategies. The results of the study will provide vital information required by policy makers and implementers on the optical pricing and distribution strategies for introducing HIV self-tests and scaling up HIVST in resource-limited settings. In a subsequent study with additional funding, the study will also seek to determine the long-term implications of offering self-tests at very low prices initially; specifically, it will assess whether free distribution initially suppresses individuals' willingness to pay for self-tests in the future. Roughly 12 months after the initial voucher offer, participants who provided a mobile phone number they can access within their household will be contacted via phone-based text messages and offered the same HIV self-tests again at one common non-zero price. The purchases at 12 months will once again be monitored and linked to participants via a unique identifier that is included in the text messages.

Conditions

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HIV/AIDS

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

FACTORIAL

Primary Study Purpose

SCREENING

Blinding Strategy

NONE

Study Groups

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$0 price

Vouchers for HIV self-testing kits: Individuals will receive a voucher that can be used to redeem an HIV self-testing kit free of charge.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Vouchers for HIV self-testing kits

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Participants will be given one referral voucher that offers a self-test kit at a randomly selected price point and distribution site. The vouchers will be valid for one month after the enrollment date. The other household members above 16 years of age will also be offered one voucher per person. Vouchers for the same household will have the same price, distributor, and promotion messages.

$0.5 price

Vouchers for HIV self-testing kits: Individuals will receive a voucher that can be used to purchase an HIV self-testing kit at the price of $0.5.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Vouchers for HIV self-testing kits

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Participants will be given one referral voucher that offers a self-test kit at a randomly selected price point and distribution site. The vouchers will be valid for one month after the enrollment date. The other household members above 16 years of age will also be offered one voucher per person. Vouchers for the same household will have the same price, distributor, and promotion messages.

$1 price

Vouchers for HIV self-testing kits: Individuals will receive a voucher that can be used to purchase an HIV self-testing kit at the price of $1.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Vouchers for HIV self-testing kits

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Participants will be given one referral voucher that offers a self-test kit at a randomly selected price point and distribution site. The vouchers will be valid for one month after the enrollment date. The other household members above 16 years of age will also be offered one voucher per person. Vouchers for the same household will have the same price, distributor, and promotion messages.

$2 price

Vouchers for HIV self-testing kits: Individuals will receive a voucher that can be used to purchase an HIV self-testing kit at the price of $2.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Vouchers for HIV self-testing kits

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Participants will be given one referral voucher that offers a self-test kit at a randomly selected price point and distribution site. The vouchers will be valid for one month after the enrollment date. The other household members above 16 years of age will also be offered one voucher per person. Vouchers for the same household will have the same price, distributor, and promotion messages.

$3 price

Vouchers for HIV self-testing kits: Individuals will receive a voucher that can be used to purchase an HIV self-testing kit at the price of $3.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Vouchers for HIV self-testing kits

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Participants will be given one referral voucher that offers a self-test kit at a randomly selected price point and distribution site. The vouchers will be valid for one month after the enrollment date. The other household members above 16 years of age will also be offered one voucher per person. Vouchers for the same household will have the same price, distributor, and promotion messages.

Interventions

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Vouchers for HIV self-testing kits

Participants will be given one referral voucher that offers a self-test kit at a randomly selected price point and distribution site. The vouchers will be valid for one month after the enrollment date. The other household members above 16 years of age will also be offered one voucher per person. Vouchers for the same household will have the same price, distributor, and promotion messages.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Age 16 years or older
* Willing and able to provide written informed consent for participation
* Intends to stay in the study area for at least 12 months
Minimum Eligible Age

16 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sponsors

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Centre for Sexual Health and HIV/AIDS Research Zimbabwe

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

University of Pennsylvania

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Harsha Thirumurthy

Professor

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

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Harsha Thirumurthy, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

University of Pennsylvania

Locations

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Zimbabwe and the Centre for Sexual Health and HIV/AIDS Research (CeSHHAR) Zimbabwe

Harare, , Zimbabwe

Site Status

Countries

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Zimbabwe

References

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Chang W, Matambanadzo P, Takaruza A, Hatzold K, Cowan FM, Sibanda E, Thirumurthy H. Effect of Prices, Distribution Strategies, and Marketing on Demand for HIV Self-testing in Zimbabwe: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Netw Open. 2019 Aug 2;2(8):e199818. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2019.9818.

Reference Type DERIVED
PMID: 31461146 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

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MRCZ/A/2199

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id