Mortality risk information, survival expectations and sexual behaviours

Summary

We investigate the impact of a randomised information intervention about population-level mortality on health investment and subjective health expectations. Our focus is on risky sex in a high HIV-prevalence environment. Treated individuals are less likely to engage in risky sexual practices one year after the intervention, with for example an 8% increase in abstinence. We collected detailed data on individuals’ subjective expectations about their own and population survival, as well as other important health outcomes. Our findings emphasise the significance of integrating subjective expectations data in field experiments to identify the pathways that lead to behavioural change.