ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the use of behavioral economics insights to improve HIV-related behaviors along the treatment cascade, ranging from prevention to adherence to antiretroviral medication and viral suppression. HIV is chronic disease, and requires a two-pronged approach: on the one hand, there is need to support preventive behaviors such as condom use, pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), microbicides, or male circumcision for those at risk of contracting HIV, but it is necessary to successfully link those who have contracted the virus to appropriate medical care to achieve viral suppression. This is particularly important in light of findings of the HPTN study that showed potential of "treatment as prevention", that is, the insight that consistent, high antiretroviral treatment (ART) adherence is protective of HIV transmission. The chapter reviews behavioral economics interventions that have addressed some of these behaviors, and point out behavioral biases that are likely to exert detrimental influence but that offer the opportunity to be used as entry points for interventions.
