Can Simple Psychological Interventions Increase Preventive Health Investment?

Behavioral constraints may explain part of the low demand for preventive health products. We test the effects of two light-touch psychological interventions on water chlorination and related health and economic outcomes using a randomized controlled trial among 3,750 women in rural Kenya. One intervention encourages participants to visualize alternative realizations of the future, and the other builds participants’ ability to make concrete plans. After 12 weeks, visualization increases objectively measured chlorination, reduces diarrhea episodes among children, and increases savings. Effects on chlorination and savings persist after almost 3 years. Effects of the planning intervention are weaker and largely insignificant. Analysis of mechanisms suggests both interventions increase self-efficacy—beliefs about one’s ability to achieve desired outcomes. Visualization also increases participants’ skill in forecasting their future utility. The interventions do not differentially affect beliefs and knowledge about chlorination. Results suggest simple psychological interventions can increase future-oriented behaviors, including use of preventive health technologies.