TY - JOUR
T1 - Challenges and opportunities for developing and implementing incentives to improve health-related behaviors in older adults
AU - Klein, Eran
AU - Karlawish, Jason
PY - 2010/9
Y1 - 2010/9
N2 - There is growing interest in using patient-directed incentives to change health-related behaviors. Advocates of incentive programs have proposed an ambitious research agenda for moving patient incentive programs forward. The unique cognitive and psychological features of older adults, however, present a challenge to this agenda. In particular, age-related changes in emotional regulation, executive function, and cognitive capacities, and a preference for collaborative decision-making raise questions about the suitability of these programs, particularly the structure of current financial incentives, for older adults. Differences in decision-making in older adults need to be accounted for in the design and implementation of financial incentive programs. Financial incentive programs adjusted to characteristics of older adult populations may be more likely to improve the lives of older persons and the economic success of programs that serve them.
AB - There is growing interest in using patient-directed incentives to change health-related behaviors. Advocates of incentive programs have proposed an ambitious research agenda for moving patient incentive programs forward. The unique cognitive and psychological features of older adults, however, present a challenge to this agenda. In particular, age-related changes in emotional regulation, executive function, and cognitive capacities, and a preference for collaborative decision-making raise questions about the suitability of these programs, particularly the structure of current financial incentives, for older adults. Differences in decision-making in older adults need to be accounted for in the design and implementation of financial incentive programs. Financial incentive programs adjusted to characteristics of older adult populations may be more likely to improve the lives of older persons and the economic success of programs that serve them.
KW - behavior change
KW - decision-making capacity
KW - elderly
KW - financial incentives
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=77956321563&partnerID=8YFLogxK
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U2 - 10.1111/j.1532-5415.2010.03030.x
DO - 10.1111/j.1532-5415.2010.03030.x
M3 - Review article
C2 - 20863335
AN - SCOPUS:77956321563
SN - 0002-8614
VL - 58
SP - 1758
EP - 1763
JO - Journal of the American Geriatrics Society
JF - Journal of the American Geriatrics Society
IS - 9
ER -