Incentivizing Participation to Reduce the Spread of COVID-19

About the Program

Category: Health (Best in Category)

Year: 2021

The Department of Public Health (DPH) successfully reached out to more than 94% of individuals testing positive for COVID-19 within 24 hours of receiving their lab results and 74% of their contacts within one day of receiving their information. However, the majority of those interviewed were reluctant to provide information on their close contacts. To address the low percentage of cases providing contact information, DPH employed several strategies, including the Gift Card Program, which provided a $20 incentive to encourage the completion of case interviews and increase the number of contacts provided by cases. This strategy significantly increased the number of interviews completed and cases who provided at least one contact, thus quickly expanding DPH's reach to Los Angeles County residents who need to receive information about their possible exposure to COVID-19 and education on steps to protect themselves and prevent further spread of COVID-19.