Experiences and perceptions of conditional cash incentive provision and cessation among people with HIV for care engagement: a qualitative study

Conditional cash transfers (CCTs) have been shown to improve retention in HIV care while they are provided, but their long-term effectiveness remains uncertain and effects may be time-limited, with cessation resulting in HIV care engagement deterioration. We explored CCT experiences, perceptions, and effects after cessation to investigate potential mechanisms of this observation and better understand the psychological mechanisms behind CCTs.

This qualitative study was nested within a larger trial, AdaPT-R (NCT02338739), focused on HIV care engagement in western Kenya. A subset of participants were purposively sampled from AdaPT-R participants: adults with HIV who had recently started ART, received CCTs for one year, completed one year of follow-up without missing a clinic visit, and were randomized to either continue or discontinue CCTs for one more year of follow-up. In-depth interviews were conducted by an experienced qualitative researcher using a semi-structed guide within a month of randomization. Interviews were conducted in the participants' preferred language (Dholuo, Kiswahili, English). Data on patient characteristics, randomization dates, and clinic visit dates to determine care lapses were extracted from the AdaPT-R database. A codebook was developed deductively based on the guide and inductively refined based on initial transcripts. Transcripts were coded using Dedoose software, and thematic saturation was identified.

Of 38 participants, 15 (39%) continued receiving incentives, while 23 (61%) were discontinued from receiving incentives. Half were female (N = 19), median age was 30 years (range: 19-48), and about three-quarters were married or living with partners. Both groups expressed high intrinsic motivation to engage in care, prioritized clinic attendance regardless of CCTs,and felt the incentives expanded their decision-making options. Despite high motivation, some participants reported that cessation of the CCTs affected their ability to access care, especially those with constrained financial situations. Participants also expressed concerns that incentives might foster dependency.

CCTs do not appear to exert their effects through motivation, but instead act through creating opportunities for better care engagement. This study helps us better understand the durability of financial incentives for HIV care engagement and support the idea that careful consideration be exercised when implementing incentives for sustainable engagement effects.