This study investigates how household communication plays a role in elderly women's take-up of health check-ups in rural Tamil Nadu, India. First, we survey elders and their caretakers to measure demand for check-ups for elders. We measure how interest in check-ups changes when we offer different versions of transportation support, to understand how much interest in check-ups are affected by the degree of caretaker involvement required. Second, we conduct a randomized evaluation of interventions to improve take-up of free health check-ups at a nearby private hospital. We will cross-randomize two interventions. The first randomizes who is informed about the check-up: either only the elder is informed or both the elder and the caretaker are informed about the check-up. The second randomizes whether free transportation is provided to and from the check-up. We will measure take-up of the check-up. We will also measure elders' willingness to mention the check-up to the caretaker.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
SINGLE
Enrollment
1,200
Both elder and the caretaker are directly informed about the check-up.
We offer to arrange private transportation to and from the hospital at no cost.
JPAL SA at IFMR
Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
RECRUITINGSign-up rates for check-up.
This will be a measure of whether the elder is signed up for the check-up by the caretaker. This will be measured either when the caretaker calls to reserve a spot for the elder or when the research team follows up with the household before the check-up.
Time frame: Assessed at 3 days after the intervention
Elder attendance at check-up.
This is a measure of whether the elder shows up to the health check-up at the end of the week. Attendance at the health check-up will be measured by surveyors at the hospital, about 1 week after the health check-up invitations are shared with households.
Time frame: 1 week after the intervention
Elder willingness to mention check-up to caretaker
This is a measure of whether elder chooses to mention check-up to caretaker when offered. Among elders in households that are randomized into the "Tell elder only" arm, we will offer to inform the caretaker of the check-up on behalf of the elder and record whether the elder was willing to have us mention the check-up as one of our outcomes.
Time frame: Assessed 2 days after the intervention
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