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Measuring Delay Discounting in Humans Using an Adjusting Amount Task
Published on: January 9, 2016
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Delay Discounting for HIV/STI Testing
Val Wongsomboon1, Gregory D Webster2
1Institute for Sexual and Gender Minority Health and Wellbeing, Northwestern University, 625 N Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL USA.
Summary
Healthcare wait times significantly reduce HIV/STI testing likelihood. People are less likely to get tested for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) the longer they have to wait, especially for milder ones.
Area of Science:
- Behavioral Economics
- Public Health
- Infectious Disease Prevention
Background:
- Wait times in healthcare represent a significant barrier to timely Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and sexually transmitted infection (STI) testing.
- Understanding factors influencing testing decisions is crucial for effective public health interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the impact of delay (wait time) on the likelihood of undergoing HIV/STI testing using a delay discounting approach.
- To investigate whether perceived severity mediates the effect of delay on STI testing decisions.
Main Methods:
- Two studies (N=421, N=392) employed delay discounting tasks where participants reported likelihood of testing based on varied wait times.
- Participants were assigned to chlamydia/gonorrhea or HIV testing groups.
- Study 2 introduced a smaller, sooner outcome (consultation without testing) to explore mediation by perceived severity.
Main Results:
- A systematic reduction in testing likelihood was observed as a function of increased delay to testing, demonstrating delay discounting for HIV/STI tests.
- The effect of delay on testing decisions was more pronounced for chlamydia/gonorrhea testing compared to HIV testing.
- Perceived severity of the STIs statistically mediated the observed discounting effect.
Conclusions:
- Evidence supports delay discounting for HIV/STI testing, with decisions being more sensitive to delays for less severe infections.
- Reducing healthcare wait times, particularly for milder STIs, is essential to mitigate potential serious health consequences from untreated infections.
