Part 5: Incentives

Programs may provide incentives (e.g., certificates of appreciation or certificates of participation in the program, movie passes, transportation passes or tokens, phone cards, meal certificates) to encourage recruiters to refer their network associates for HIV CTR. Cash incentives are not recommended. Use of incentives must always be carefully considered because of the possibility that they may be, or be viewed as, coercive.

Incentives could be provided on a one-time or periodic basis to encourage potential recruiters to participate in the program. An incentive could also be provided to recruiters for every network associate they successfully recruit for HIV CTR. However, the latter approach should be closely monitored because it may lead to recruitment of many “network associates” who are not truly at risk for HIV. Programs may also provide incentives to network associates to encourage them to participate in CTR or to encourage them to return for test results.

		“If you offer incentives, have them ready.”
Lessons Learned		“Be conscious about how you spend your money on incentives. Know your population. Don’t provide phone cards if people don’t use them.”
		“The message that we relay is that we’re thanking them for coming back for their results and thanking them for their time. We need to relay the message that we’re not buying anyone.”

Protocols should indicate whether or not incentives will be used, and if so, what they will be, how they will be obtained, and when and under what conditions they will be provided.

Go to Section One; Part 6