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• Case | HBS Case Collection | 2013 (Revised from original 2011 version)

  Uptake of Malaria Rapid Diagnostic Tests

  Nava Ashraf and Natalie Kindred

  This case describes barriers to adoption of malaria rapid diagnostic tests in Zambia and highlights the importance of understanding end users in promoting product adoption. Rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) are simple, easy-to-use tools that provide a relatively reliable, inexpensive way to confirm diagnoses of malaria. In addition to ensuring that patients' febrile illnesses are properly diagnosed and treated, confirming malaria diagnoses has broader public health benefits, including promoting the efficient use of limited malaria medications and preventing increased resistance to first-line malaria treatment. However, despite the evident potential benefits of RDTs, many clinicians in Zambia do not use them or simply ignore their results. Why don't they trust these tools, and what can be done to improve adoption? Various barriers to uptake and methods to overcome these challenges are explored, with broad implications for technology adoption and health policy. A particular emphasis is placed on the role of behavioral preferences.

  Keywords: Developing Countries and Economies; Health Pandemics; Technology; Health Care and Treatment; Policy; Behavior; Prejudice and Bias; Health Industry; Zambia;

  Citation:

  Ashraf, Nava, and Natalie Kindred. "Uptake of Malaria Rapid Diagnostic Tests." Harvard Business School Case 911-007, February 2013. (Revised from original January 2011 version.)

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• Class Lecture | 2011

  Impacting Global Health

  Nava Ashraf

  Keywords: Health; Global Range;

  Citation:

  Ashraf, Nava. "Impacting Global Health." Harvard Business School Class Lecture 912-702, December 2011.

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• Other Unpublished Work | 2012

  No Margin, No Mission? A Field Experiment on Incentives for Pro-Social Tasks

  Nava Ashraf, Oriana Bandiera and Kelsey Jack

  Citation:

  Ashraf, Nava, Oriana Bandiera, and Kelsey Jack. "No Margin, No Mission? A Field Experiment on Incentives for Pro-Social Tasks." September 2012.

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