Can Cell Minutes Change Health Behaviors?
Tuberculosis (TB) infects and kills millions of people every year around the globe. TB can be neutralized by a 6-month long daily regiment of antibiotics. But people still die, not so much because they cannot get the drug (even in poorer countries) but because they fail to comply with medication regiment. They don’t take the meds regularly enough for them to be effective.
An innovative solution (and excellent example of cognitive design) based on Take TB Meds, Get Mobile Minutes has been field tested in Nicaragua. Here is how it works:
“To get around that problem, Jose Gomez-Marquez, program director for IIH, and his collaborators developed a simple paper-based diagnostic that detects metabolites of the TB drug in urine. The papers are dispensed from a device every 24 hours; when the diagnostic comes in contact with patients’ urine, the metabolite reacts with chemicals embedded in the paper. That reaction reveals a code, which the patient then texts to a central database every day. Those who take the drugs consistently for 30 days are rewarded with cell-phone minutes.”
I am part of a small team of cognitive designers working on a similar concept for improving foot care for high-risk diabetes patients here in the US.
The idea is to mail health cards (simplified inspection checklist) and provide a cash incentive for patients who use and return them. Detecting early warning signs of toe or foot ulcers is the key to avoiding costly ($30K -$60K) and life changing amputations and even deaths. Perhaps we should offer cell minutes instead of cash?
April 16th, 2009 at 5:31 pm
I discovered your homepage by coincidence.
Very interesting posts and well written.
I will put your site on my blogroll.