Financial incentives to improve re-engagement in HIV care: results from a randomized pilot study

Determine the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effectiveness of financial incentives to motivate re-engagement in HIV care in Shinyanga, Tanzania.

Out-of-care people living with HIV (PLHIV) were identified from medical records in four clinics and home-based care providers (HBCs) from April 13, 2018 to March 3, 2020. Shinyanga Region residents, ≥18 years, who were disengaged from care were randomized 1:1 to a financial incentive (∼$10 USD) or the standard of care (SOC), stratified by site, and followed for 180 days. Primary outcomes were feasibility (located PLHIV who agreed to discuss the study), acceptability (enrollment among eligibles), and re-engagement in care (clinic visit within 90 days).

HBCs located 469/1,309 (35.8%) out-of-care PLHIV. Of these, 215 (45.8%) were preliminarily determined to be disengaged from care, 201 (93.5%) agreed to discuss the study, and 157 eligible (100%) enrolled. Within 90 days, 71 (85.5%) PLHIV in the incentive arm re-engaged in care vs. 58 (78.4%) in the SOC (Adjusted Risk Difference [ARD] = 0.08, 95% CI: -0.03, 0.19, p = 0.09). A higher proportion of incentivized PLHIV completed an additional (unincentivized) visit between 90-180 days (79.5% vs. 71.6%, ARD = 0.10, 95% CI: -0.03, 0.24, p = 0.13) and remained in care at 180 days (57.8% vs. 51.4%, ARD = 0.07, 95% CI: -0.09, 0.22, p  = 0.40).

Short-term financial incentives are feasible, acceptable, and have the potential to encourage re-engagement in care, warranting further study of this approach.