Designing financial incentives for health behaviour change: a mixed-methods case study of weight loss in men with obesity

van der Pol, M., McDonald, M., Collacott, H., Dombrowski, S. U., Harris, F. M., Kee, F., Avenell, A., Gray, C. , Skinner, R. and Hoddinott, P. (2022) Designing financial incentives for health behaviour change: a mixed-methods case study of weight loss in men with obesity. Journal of Public Health, (doi: 10.1007/s10389-022-01785-1) (Early Online Publication)

Abstract

Aim: Designing financial incentives for health behaviour change requires choices across several domains, including value (the size of the incentive), frequency of incentives, and direction (gain or loss). However, the rationale underlying complex incentive design is infrequently reported. Transparent reporting is important if we want to understand and improve the incentive development process. This paper describes a mixed methods approach for designing financial incentives for health behaviour change which involves stakeholders throughout the design process. Subject and methods: The mixed methods approach focuses on incentives for weight loss for men with obesity living in areas with high levels of disadvantage. The approach involves: (a) using an existing framework to identify all domains of a financial incentive scheme for which choices need to be made, deciding what criteria are relevant (such as effectiveness, acceptability and uptake) and making choices on each domain on the basis of the criteria; (b) conducting a survey of target population preferences to inform choices for domains and to design the incentive scheme; and (c) making final decisions at a stakeholder consensus workshop. Results: The approach was implemented and an incentive scheme for weight loss for men living with obesity was developed. Qualitative interview data from men receiving the incentives in a feasibility trial endorses our approach. Conclusion: This paper demonstrates that a mixed methods approach with stakeholder involvement can be used to design financial incentives for health behaviour change such as weight loss. Trial registration number: NCT03040518. Date: 2 February 2017.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Early Online Publication
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Gray, Professor Cindy
• Authors: van der Pol, M., McDonald, M., Collacott, H., Dombrowski, S. U., Harris, F. M., Kee, F., Avenell, A., Gray, C., Skinner, R., and Hoddinott, P.
• College/School: College of Social Sciences > School of Social and Political Sciences > Sociology Anthropology and Applied Social Sciences
• Journal Name: Journal of Public Health
• Publisher: Springer
• ISSN: 0943-1853
• ISSN (Online): 1613-2238
• Published Online: 12 December 2022
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © The Author(s) 2022
• First Published: First published in Journal of Public Health 2022
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced under a Creative Commons license

Project Code	Award No	Project Name	Principal Investigator	Funder's Name	Funder Ref	Lead Dept
173862		Feasibility study of how best to engage obese men in narrative SMS (short message system) and incentive interventions for weight loss, to inform a future effectiveness and cost-effectiveness trialUniversity of Stirling Project Ref: 05340	Lucinda Gray	National Institute for Health Research (NIHR)	PHR14/185/09	S&PS - Institute of Health & Wellbeing (Social Sciences)