Impact Evaluation on Improving Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision Demand in Malawi through the Use of Incentives
This report presents an impact evaluation assessing the effect of incentives on improving the uptake of Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision (VMMC) in two districts in Malawi. The cluster randomised control trial was led by the National AIDS Commiss...
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| Format: | Report |
| Language: | English |
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World Bank, Washington, DC
2018
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| Online Access: | http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/161401524596207520/Impact-evaluation-on-improving-voluntary-medical-male-circumcision-demand-in-Malawi-through-the-use-of-incentives-impact-evaluation-results http://hdl.handle.net/10986/29734 |
| Summary: | This report presents an impact
evaluation assessing the effect of incentives on improving
the uptake of Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision (VMMC) in
two districts in Malawi. The cluster randomised control
trial was led by the National AIDS Commission of Malawi and
implemented from December 2015 to April 2016. The primary
research question was whether incentives can increase VMMC
uptake among in-school and out-of-school males aged 10-34.
Collective incentives (e.g. whiteboards, football equipment)
to schools and Mothers’ Groups, as well as individual
incentives in the form of vouchers for VMMC were tested. The
evaluation found that incentives in the form of vouchers for
VMMC work. The vouchers had a significant positive impact on
VMMC demand by increasing the odds of getting circumcised by
over seven times. Secondary distribution by voucher
recipients showed potential to informally increase
distribution networks without increasing costs. There was
some evidence of spill-over to relatives: nearly a third of
participants in both study districts who had been given
vouchers reported that they gave vouchers to relatives.
Using the participants’ own social networks had the result
of expanding the reach of the intervention without
additional distribution costs. The evaluation also found
that community-involvement, especially in the form of
Mothers’ Groups, was essential to motivate young men to seek
VMMC. The report discusses the policy implications of this
positive finding of incentives. |
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