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

Background

While voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC) reduces the risk of HIV transmission by 60%, circumcision coverage falls short of the UNAIDS 90% target. We investigated whether behaviourally informed message framing increased demand for VMMC.

Setting

Adult users of the MoyaApp, a data free application in South Africa, who viewed a form designed to generate interest in VMMC during August-November 2022.

Methods

A quasi-experimental study was conducted to evaluate four MoyaApp VMMC intervention forms against the Standard of Care (SOC) form. All forms enabled users to provide contact details for follow-up engagement by a call centre. The primary outcome was the proportion of forms submitted. Secondary outcomes included successful contact with the user, VMMC bookings/referrals and confirmed circumcision. Multivariable ordinary least-squares regression was used for the analysis.

Results

MoyaApp VMMC form viewers totalled 118,337 of which 6% submitted a form. Foot-in-the-Door form viewers were more likely (+1.3 percentage points, p<0.01) to submit a form compared to the SOC group (6.3%). Active Choice (-1.1 percentage points, p<0.01) and Reserved for You (-0.05 percentage points, p<0.05) form viewers were less likely to submit a form compared to SOC. Users submitting on Foot-in-the-Door were less likely to be booked/referred compared to SOC (-5 percentage points, p<0.05). There were no differences between the intervention and SOC forms for successful contact and circumcisions.

Conclusions

Message framing using behavioural insights was able to nudge men to engage with VMMC services. However, more work is needed to understand how to convert initial interest into bookings and circumcisions.

Trial registration

• South African Clinical Trials Registry DOH-27-062022-7811

• Pan-African Clinical Trials Registry PACTR202112699416418