“Peer referrals increase screening, testing, and identification of patients with tuberculosis. In an randomized control trial with 3,176 patients at 122 tuberculosis treatment centers run by Operation ASHA in India, we find that small financial incentives raise the probability that existing patients refer prospective patients for screening and testing, resulting in cost-effective identification of new cases.” This study was done by Professors from Johns Hopkins University, University of Maryland and University of Chicago and was funded by the World Bank. Full paper can be accessed here.
Operation ASHA has been using this methodology and small incentives, ranging from US$2-10, since inception, to improve detection, though deep theoretical understanding is provided by this paper.
