Failure of a lottery incentive to increase compliance with return visit for test-of-cure culture for Neisseria gonorrhoeae.

The impact of the financial incentive of playing a lottery on the rate of return for test-of-cure cultures was evaluated at a clinic for sexually transmitted diseases. All teenagers and young adults treated for gonorrhea (or as contacts of patients with gonorrhea) who were given a test-of-cure appointment were eligible to participate; in order to win, they had to keep the appointment. The return rate was documented during a baseline and a lottery phase for 519 patients. Females were significantly more likely to keep the appointment (47%) than males (27%), regardless of intervention, but there was no improvement in the return appointment rates with the lottery (baseline, 31% vs. lottery, 33%). Although teenaged males were more likely to participate in the lottery than young adult males and all females, only young adult females who participated were significantly more likely to return (68%). Reasons for failure of the lottery are discussed. Thus, despite the successful use of a lottery in previous studies, it is not always helpful in improving compliant behavior in certain populations.