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Center for Health Incentives and Behavioral Economics (CHIBE)
  1. Research

Publications

Take a look at CHIBE’s publications, which are helping advance the science of using behavioral economics to improve health and leading to discoveries around how our minds work.

Diet-focused behavioral interventions to reduce the risk of non-communicable diseases in low- and middle-income countries: A scoping review of existing evidence

Obesity Reviews
March 24, 2025
Averi Chakrabarti, Nathan Ellermeier, Arpita Tripathi, Harsha Thirumurthy, Rachel Nugent

Jitegemee (rely on yourself): a cross-sectional study on acceptability, feasibility and design considerations for a personal savings intervention to reduce HIV risk among female sex workers in Siaya County, Kenya

BMJ Open
February 16, 2025
Kawango Agot, Nicky Okeyo, Jacob Onyango, Marylyn Ochillo, Gift-Noelle Wango, Moraa Arasa, Timothy Okello, Olivia Okumu, Shantana Carol, Bernard Ayieko, Harsha Thirumurthy

The effect of a social network-based intervention on adherence to HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis and HIV viral suppression among Kenyan fishermen

AIDS
February 13, 2025
Lila A. Sheira, Zachary A. Kwena, Benard Ayieko, Edwin D. Charlebois, Kawango Agot, Sarah A. Gutin, Jayne Lewis-Kulzer, Phoebe Olugo, Monica Gandhi, Elizabeth A. Bukusi, Harsha Thirumurthy, Daniel Adede, James Moody, Carol S. Camlin

Alcohol use and HIV suppression after completion of financial incentives for alcohol abstinence and isoniazid adherence: a randomized controlled trial

eClinicalMedicine
February 1, 2025
Winnie R. Muyindike, Robin Fatch, Sara Lodi, Nneka I. Emenyonu, Allen Kekibiina, Julian Adong, Brian Beesiga, Kara Marson, Harsha Thirumurthy, Michael G. McDonell, Moses R. Kamya, Gabriel Chamie, Judith A. Hahn

“There is no need to leave the beach to test”: A qualitative study of HIV self-testing knowledge and acceptability of HIV self-test kit distribution among social networks of fishermen in western Kenya

(Preprint)
January 27, 2025
Jayne Lewis-Kulzer, Phoebe Olugo, Sarah A Gutin, Zachary A Kwena, Holly Nishimura, Marguerite Thorp, Kawango Agot, Benard Ayieko, Elizabeth A Bukusi, Lennah Oluoch, David Angawa, Harsha Thirumurthy, Carol S Camlin

Human-Centered Design to Respond to Public Health Crises: Maintaining Canine Rabies Vaccination during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Peru

The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
November 26, 2024
Ricardo Castillo-Neyra, Elvis W Díaz, Lizzie Ortiz-Cam, Guillermo Porras, Micaela De La Puente-León, Gian Franco Condori, Olimpia Chuquista-Alcarraz, Sergio E Recuenco, Laura D Tamayo, Alison M Buttenheim, Valerie A Paz-Soldan

Improving HIV testing, linkage, and retention in care among South African men through U = U messaging: A study protocol for two sequential hybrid type 1 effectiveness-implementation randomized controlled trials

PLOS One
November 25, 2024
Andrew Medina-Marino, Nkosiyapha Sibanda, Mary Putt, Dvora Joseph Davey, Phillip Smith, Harsha Thirumurthy, Linda-Gail Bekker, Alison Buttenheim

Behaviourally-informed two-way text messaging to improve return to HIV care in South Africa: evidence from a randomised controlled trial

MedRxiv
August 18, 2024
Christine Njuguna, Preethi Mistri, Lawrence Long, Candice Chetty-Makkan, Brendan Maughan-Brown, Alison Buttenheim, Laura Schmucker, Sophie Pascoe, Harsha Thirumurthy, Cara O'Connor, Barry Mutasa, Kate Rees

Effectiveness of Using Additional HIV Self-Test Kits as an Incentive to Increase HIV Testing Within Assisted Partner Services

JAIDS
August 15, 2024
Unmesha Roy Paladhi, David A Katz, George Otieno, James P Hughes, Harsha Thirumurthy, Harison Lagat, Sarah Masyuko, Monisha Sharma, Paul Macharia, Rose Bosire, Mary Mugambi, Edward Kariithi, Carey Farquhar

Evaluation of four interventions using behavioural economics insights to increase demand for voluntary medical male circumcision in South Africa through the MoyaApp: A quasi-experimental study

JAIDS
August 9, 2024
Preethi Mistri, Silviu Tomescu, Simamkele Bokolo, Alexandra De Nooy, Pedro T Pisa, Skye Grove, Laura Schmucker, Candice Chetty-Makkan, Lawrence Long, Alison Buttenheim, Brendan Maughan-Brown

Applying behavioural economics principles to increase demand for free HIV testing services at private doctor-led clinics in Johannesburg, South Africa: A randomised controlled trial

PLOS Global Public Health
August 6, 2024
Simamkele Bokolo, Suzanne Mabaso, Wentzel Kruger, Preethi Mistri, Laura Schmucker, Candice Chetty-Makkan, Sophie J S Pascoe, Alison Buttenheim, Harsha Thirumurthy, Lawrence Long

The NUDGE Framework: Application to Address Behavioral Barriers to Antiretroviral Therapy in Adolescents Living With HIV in Eswatini

AIDS Education and Prevention
August 1, 2024
Charisse V Ahmed, Ayanda Dlamini, Majaha Mbuyisa, Mthobisi Simelane, Darby Gallagher, Aleksandra Golos, Gregory Donworth, Jacob Dubner, Lindsey McLain, Elizabeth D Lowenthal, Bridgette M Rice, Merrian J Brooks, Alison M Buttenheim

Using machine learning to unveil relevant predictors of adherence to recommended health-protective behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic in Denmark

International Association of Applied Psychology
June 8, 2024
Lau Lilleholt, Gretchen B. Chapman, Robert Böhm, Ingo Zettler

A randomised trial of “Fresh Start” text messaging to improve return to care in people living with HIV who missed appointments in South Africa

AIDS
May 29, 2024
Njuguna C, Long L, Mistri P, Chetty-Makkan C, Maughan-Brown B, Buttenheim A, Schmucker L, Pascoe S, Thirumurthy H, O'Connor C, Mutyambizi C, Mutasa B, Rees K.

Participant perspectives on incentives for TB preventative therapy adherence and reduced alcohol use: A qualitative study

PLOS Global Public Health
April 24, 2024
Ayesha Appa, Amanda P Miller, Robin Fatch, Allen Kekibiina, Brian Beesiga, Julian Adong, Nneka Emenyonu, Kara Marson, Monica Getahun, Moses Kamya, Winnie Muyindike, Michael McDonell, Harsha Thirumurthy, Judith A Hahn, Gabriel Chamie, Carol S Camlin

Mobile Delivery of COVID-19 Vaccines Improved Uptake in Rural Sierra Leone

Nature
March 13, 2024
Alison Buttenheim & Harsha Thirumurthy