Air Pollution, IndoorNCT01611350
Testing New Marketing Models for Improved Cookstoves - Uganda
A study testing RCT 1- Testing the Effectiveness of Marketing Messages in Increasing Willingness to Pay, RCT 3-Measure the Effects of Fuel Efficient Cookstoves on Health, Fuel Use and Time Spent Collecting Fuel and RCT 2- Testing the Effectiveness of the Novel Sales Offer and its ability to Increase Uptake of Purchasing Energy Efficient Cookstoves in people with Air Pollution, Indoor and Behavior, run by University of California, Berkeley at 2 sites in 2 countries.
Trial summary
The purpose of this study is to determine the effectiveness of different sales offers and different marketing messages to increase the uptake of energy efficient cookstoves. This research will address the following major barriers to the acquisition and correct use of improved cookstoves into four main categories… Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and older, women only
- Conditions the study is for
- Air Pollution, Indoor, Behavior
- What is being tested?
- RCT 1- Testing the Effectiveness of Marketing Messages in Increasing Willingness to Pay, RCT 3-Measure the Effects of Fuel Efficient Cookstoves on Health, Fuel Use and Time Spent Collecting Fuel and RCT 2- Testing the Effectiveness of the Novel Sales Offer and its ability to Increase Uptake of Purchasing Energy Efficient Cookstoves
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 3,500 participants
- Where
- 2 sitesin 2 countries
- Study dates
- Feb 2012to Nov 2015
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 years and older
- Women only
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
All households are eligible to purchase a stove.
Trial locations and contacts
2 sites in 2 countries.
2 sites in 2 countries
United States1 site
Haas School of Business, University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, California, 94720
About this study
Official title: Behavior Change Interventions to Improve the Acquisition and Correct Use of Improved Cookstoves
The purpose of this study is to determine the effectiveness of different sales offers and different marketing messages to increase the uptake of energy efficient cookstoves.
This research will address the following major barriers to the acquisition and correct use of improved cookstoves into four main categories:
Read more
- Inappropriate product or marketing for intended users
- Lack of consumer trust in new products
- Failure to address consumers' financial constraints
- Failure to achieve behavioral change
To do so this research includes 3 Randomized Controlled Trials including:RCT 1- Testing the Effectiveness of Marketing Messages in Increasing Willingness to Pay; RCT 2- Testing the Effectiveness of the Novel Sales Offer and its ability to Increase Uptake of Purchasing Energy Efficient Cookstoves; and RCT 3-Measure the Effects of Fuel Efficient Cookstoves on Health, Fuel Use and Time Spent Collecting Fuel.
RCT 1 studies the price women are willing to pay for the improved stove. It will also test the effects of the two most effective marketing messages identified during the Phase 1 Feasibility stage (e.g., improved health, saves time, and has high status) on increasing willingness to pay. RCT 1 will run second price auctions in 36 parishes with an average of 60 participants per meeting.
From RCT 1, RCT 2 tests the effect of a Novel Sales Offer- which includes a free trial, and time payments- on purchasing decisions of participants versus those that receive the Traditional Offer- a cash and carry offer. Based on a pilot in urban Kampala conducted by Dr. David I. Levine (co-P.I. on this project) results show a 44% uptake for households offered the novel offer vs. a 4% uptake for those offered the traditional offer. The hypothesis is a novel offer will significantly increase uptake of fuel efficient cookstoves in rural Uganda when compared to a traditional offer.
RCT 3 measures the impacts of fuel efficient cookstoves on health, fuel usage, and time spent collecting fuel. For RCT 3 we will randomize those who accept the Novel Offer into early and late groups. To measure the impacts of improved stoves on health, fuel use, time spent collecting fuel, etc., there will be a baseline and follow-up survey and associated quantitative measures on our full sample and a small endline on select quantitative measures for a sub-sample.
Read the detailed description
Given that 95% of Ugandans rely on solid fuel for cooking, and the vast majority use unimproved wood stoves in rural areas, replacing dirty and inefficient household wood stoves in Uganda provides a tremendous opportunity to improve health. Impact Carbon has been implementing an improved cookstove program in Uganda since 2005 which has now commercially sold more than 80,000 stoves. However, the program has not been successful in selling clean burning household wood stoves due to challenges related to the four categories of major barriers discussed above. Targeted research addressing these barriers will allow the team to test new sales and marketing methods to increase uptake of fuel efficient cookstoves. This has the potential to significantly reduce indoor air pollution as more households adopt fuel efficient cookstoves.
- Conditions
- Air Pollution, Indoor, Behavior
- Being tested
- RCT 1- Testing the Effectiveness of Marketing Messages in Increasing Willingness to Pay, RCT 3-Measure the Effects of Fuel Efficient Cookstoves on Health, Fuel Use and Time Spent Collecting Fuel, RCT 2- Testing the Effectiveness of the Novel Sales Offer and its ability to Increase Uptake of Purchasing Energy Efficient Cookstoves
- Keywords
- Indoor Air Pollution, Marketing Methods for Increasing Technology Adoption, Optimal Contracts for Technology Adoption
- Medical subject headings
- Behavior
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
RCT 1- Testing the Effectiveness of Marketing Messages in Increasing Willingness to PayOther
We are testing whether any marketing messages effect participants willingness to pay for the fuel efficient cookstoves. All marketing messages are true.
RCT 3-Measure the Effects of Fuel Efficient Cookstoves on Health, Fuel Use and Time Spent Collecting FuelOther
Of those who accept the Novel Sales Offer, half the group will be randomly selected to start their free trial early while the other half will receive their free trial late. Those who receive their free trial late will serve as a control group for fuel consumption and Particulate Matter exposure in kitchens.
RCT 2- Testing the Effectiveness of the Novel Sales Offer and its ability to Increase Uptake of Purchasing Energy Efficient CookstovesOther
We are testing whether households who receive the Novel Sales Offer have higher uptake than those households who receive the Traditional Sales Offer.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Health Marketing Message | Experimental | Marketing message focused on health effects of cooking with wood on a three stone fire. Receives: Other: RCT 1- Testing the Effectiveness of Marketing Messages in Increasing Willingness to Pay |
| Savings Marketing Message | Experimental | Marketing message focused on savings (both time and money) related to using an energy efficient cookstove. Receives: Other: RCT 1- Testing the Effectiveness of Marketing Messages in Increasing Willingness to Pay |
| Savings and Health Marketing Messages Combined | Experimental | One group will receive both the savings and health marketing messages. Receives: Other: RCT 1- Testing the Effectiveness of Marketing Messages in Increasing Willingness to Pay |
| Novel Sales Offer | Experimental | This group will receive a free trial and time payments when purchasing an energy efficient cookstove. Receives: Other: RCT 2- Testing the Effectiveness of the Novel Sales Offer and its ability to Increase Uptake of Purchasing Energy Efficient Cookstoves |
| Early vs. Late Buyers | Experimental | Of those who accept the Novel Sales Offer, half the buyers will randomly be selected to start their free trial within a few weeks of the sales meeting, while the other half- the late buyers- will start their free trial a within 2 months of the sales meeting. Receives: Other: RCT 3-Measure the Effects of Fuel Efficient Cookstoves on Health, Fuel Use and Time Spent Collecting Fuel |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Effectiveness of Marketing Messages in Increasing Willingness to Pay
We will test whether or not certain marketing messages increase willingness to pay through a secondary price auction.
Measured: During February 2012 we will assess whether or not different marketing messages increase willingness to pay.
Secondary outcomes (2)
Test the Effectiveness of the Novel Sales Offer to Increase Uptake of Purchasing Energy Efficient Cookstoves
We will randomly select some parishes to receive the Novel Sales Offer which includes a free trial and time payments and some parishes to receive the Traditional Offer, which is the offer to pay full price immediately. The outcome will be the percentage of both groups which accept the Novel Offer vs. those that accept the Traditional Offer.
Measured: This will be assessed from March 2012 to July 2012
Measure the Effects of Fuel Efficient Cookstoves on Health, Fuel Use and Time Spent Collecting Fuel
We will measure wood use by weighing wood before without fuel efficient stove and after with fuel efficient stove.
To monitor effects on health we will measure Particulate Matter via. UCB PATS monitors. We will measure PM before without the fuel efficient stove and after with the fuel efficient stove.
We will measure time spent collecting fuel by self reporting survey questions from a baseline, follow-up and endline survey.
Measured: Will be assessed between April 2012 and August 2012
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted5 Jun 2012 (estimated)
- Study startFeb 2012
- Primary completionNov 2015
- Study completionNov 2015
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Air Pollution, IndoorStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Sequential
- Model description
- We conducted a series of sequential RCTs. The first RCT tests how willingness to pay for a fuel-efficient cookstove varies with 1. marketing messages and 2. sales offers that address household financial constraints The second RCT 2 tests the comparable purchase from a traditional cash-and carry sales offer to uptake of the novel offer- which includes a free trial of the cookstove and the right to return the stove with no payment and a rent-to-own model where the customer pays in time payments. The third RCT examined the effects of fuel-efficient cookstoves on wood use, household air pollution, and cooking behaviors in rural Uganda RCT 4 examines the effect of peer usage on consumer demand for efficient cookstoves with a randomized controlled trial in rural Uganda.
- Masking
- Single blind
- Who is masked
- Participant
- Enrolment
- 3,500 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University of California, Berkeley
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Impact Carbon, 501c3, Centre for Integrated Research and Community Development Uganda (CIRCODU)
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Theresa Beltramo, University of California, Berkeley
- Investigators
- Theresa Beltramo, PhD, Principal investigator, University of California, Berkeley
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT01611350
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- TRA001
- Status last verified
- Feb 2020
- First submitted
- 8 Feb 2012
- Last updated
- 28 Feb 2020
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- Yes
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 28 Feb 2020. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Behavior Change Interventions to Improve the Acquisition and Correct Use of Improved Cookstoves
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT01611350
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- TRA001
- Conditions
- Air Pollution, Indoor, Behavior
- Keywords
- Indoor Air Pollution, Marketing Methods for Increasing Technology Adoption, Optimal Contracts for Technology Adoption
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 3,500 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- University of California, BerkeleyUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Impact Carbon, 501c3, Centre for Integrated Research and Community Development Uganda (CIRCODU)
- Study start
- Feb 2012
- Primary completion
- Nov 2015 (actual)
- Study completion
- Nov 2015 (actual)
- First posted
- 5 Jun 2012 (estimated)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The purpose of this study is to determine the effectiveness of different sales offers and different marketing messages to increase the uptake of energy efficient cookstoves.
This research will address the following major barriers to the acquisition and correct use of improved cookstoves into four main categories:
- Inappropriate product or marketing for intended users
- Lack of consumer trust in new products
- Failure to address consumers' financial constraints
- Failure to achieve behavioral change
To do so this research includes 3 Randomized Controlled Trials including:RCT 1- Testing the Effectiveness of Marketing Messages in Increasing Willingness to Pay; RCT 2- Testing the Effectiveness of the Novel Sales Offer and its ability to Increase Uptake of Purchasing Energy Efficient Cookstoves; and RCT 3-Measure the Effects of Fuel Efficient Cookstoves on Health, Fuel Use and Time Spent Collecting Fuel.
RCT 1 studies the price women are willing to pay for the improved stove. It will also test the effects of the two most effective marketing messages identified during the Phase 1 Feasibility stage (e.g., improved health, saves time, and has high status) on increasing willingness to pay. RCT 1 will run second price auctions in 36 parishes with an average of 60 participants per meeting.
From RCT 1, RCT 2 tests the effect of a Novel Sales Offer- which includes a free trial, and time payments- on purchasing decisions of participants versus those that receive the Traditional Offer- a cash and carry offer. Based on a pilot in urban Kampala conducted by Dr. David I. Levine (co-P.I. on this project) results show a 44% uptake for households offered the novel offer vs. a 4% uptake for those offered the traditional offer. The hypothesis is a novel offer will significantly increase uptake of fuel efficient cookstoves in rural Uganda when compared to a traditional offer.
RCT 3 measures the impacts of fuel efficient cookstoves on health, fuel usage, and time spent collecting fuel. For RCT 3 we will randomize those who accept the Novel Offer into early and late groups. To measure the impacts of improved stoves on health, fuel use, time spent collecting fuel, etc., there will be a baseline and follow-up survey and associated quantitative measures on our full sample and a small endline on select quantitative measures for a sub-sample.
Detailed description
Given that 95% of Ugandans rely on solid fuel for cooking, and the vast majority use unimproved wood stoves in rural areas, replacing dirty and inefficient household wood stoves in Uganda provides a tremendous opportunity to improve health. Impact Carbon has been implementing an improved cookstove program in Uganda since 2005 which has now commercially sold more than 80,000 stoves. However, the program has not been successful in selling clean burning household wood stoves due to challenges related to the four categories of major barriers discussed above. Targeted research addressing these barriers will allow the team to test new sales and marketing methods to increase uptake of fuel efficient cookstoves. This has the potential to significantly reduce indoor air pollution as more households adopt fuel efficient cookstoves.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Sequential
- Masking
- Single blind (participant)
- Number of arms
- 5
- Model description
- We conducted a series of sequential RCTs. The first RCT tests how willingness to pay for a fuel-efficient cookstove varies with 1. marketing messages and 2. sales offers that address household financial constraints The second RCT 2 tests the comparable purchase from a traditional cash-and carry sales offer to uptake of the novel offer- which includes a free trial of the cookstove and the right to return the stove with no payment and a rent-to-own model where the customer pays in time payments. The third RCT examined the effects of fuel-efficient cookstoves on wood use, household air pollution, and cooking behaviors in rural Uganda RCT 4 examines the effect of peer usage on consumer demand for efficient cookstoves with a randomized controlled trial in rural Uganda.
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Health Marketing Message | Experimental | Other: RCT 1- Testing the Effectiveness of Marketing Messages in Increasing Willingness to PayMarketing message focused on health effects of cooking with wood on a three stone fire. |
| Savings Marketing Message | Experimental | Other: RCT 1- Testing the Effectiveness of Marketing Messages in Increasing Willingness to PayMarketing message focused on savings (both time and money) related to using an energy efficient cookstove. |
| Savings and Health Marketing Messages Combined | Experimental | Other: RCT 1- Testing the Effectiveness of Marketing Messages in Increasing Willingness to PayOne group will receive both the savings and health marketing messages. |
| Novel Sales Offer | Experimental | Other: RCT 2- Testing the Effectiveness of the Novel Sales Offer and its ability to Increase Uptake of Purchasing Energy Efficient CookstovesThis group will receive a free trial and time payments when purchasing an energy efficient cookstove. |
| Early vs. Late Buyers | Experimental | Other: RCT 3-Measure the Effects of Fuel Efficient Cookstoves on Health, Fuel Use and Time Spent Collecting FuelOf those who accept the Novel Sales Offer, half the buyers will randomly be selected to start their free trial within a few weeks of the sales meeting, while the other half- the late buyers- will start their free trial a within 2 months of the sales meeting. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- Female only
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| RCT 1- Testing the Effectiveness of Marketing Messages in Increasing Willingness to PayWe are testing whether any marketing messages effect participants willingness to pay for the fuel efficient cookstoves. All marketing messages are true. | Other | Health Marketing Message, Savings Marketing Message, Savings and Health Marketing Messages Combined |
| RCT 3-Measure the Effects of Fuel Efficient Cookstoves on Health, Fuel Use and Time Spent Collecting FuelOf those who accept the Novel Sales Offer, half the group will be randomly selected to start their free trial early while the other half will receive their free trial late. Those who receive their free trial late will serve as a control group for fuel consumption and Particulate Matter exposure in kitchens. | Other | Early vs. Late Buyers |
| RCT 2- Testing the Effectiveness of the Novel Sales Offer and its ability to Increase Uptake of Purchasing Energy Efficient CookstovesWe are testing whether households who receive the Novel Sales Offer have higher uptake than those households who receive the Traditional Sales Offer. | Other | Novel Sales Offer |
Primary outcome
Effectiveness of Marketing Messages in Increasing Willingness to Pay
Time frame: During February 2012 we will assess whether or not different marketing messages increase willingness to pay.
We will test whether or not certain marketing messages increase willingness to pay through a secondary price auction.
2 secondary outcomes
Test the Effectiveness of the Novel Sales Offer to Increase Uptake of Purchasing Energy Efficient Cookstoves
Time frame: This will be assessed from March 2012 to July 2012
Measure the Effects of Fuel Efficient Cookstoves on Health, Fuel Use and Time Spent Collecting Fuel
Time frame: Will be assessed between April 2012 and August 2012
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 28 Feb 2020.
- Published article for RCT 4 "Does Peer Use Influence Adoption of Efficient Cookstoves? Evidence from a Randomized Controlled Trial in Uganda""Link provided by the sponsor.
- Published article for RCT 1: "The effect of marketing messages and payment over time on willingness to pay for fuel-efficient cookstovesLink provided by the sponsor.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Theresa Beltramo, PhD principal investigator
University of California, Berkeley
2 sites in 2 countries: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing RCT 1- Testing the Effectiveness of Marketing Messages in Increasing Willingness to Pay, RCT 3-Measure the Effects of Fuel Efficient Cookstoves on Health, Fuel Use and Time Spent Collecting Fuel and RCT 2- Testing the Effectiveness of the Novel Sales Offer and its ability to Increase Uptake of Purchasing Energy Efficient Cookstoves in people with Air Pollution, Indoor and Behavior, run by University of California, Berkeley at 2 sites in 2 countries.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 28 Feb 2020. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 2 sites in United States, Uganda. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Effectiveness of Marketing Messages in Increasing Willingness to Pay (time frame: During February 2012 we will assess whether or not different marketing messages increase willingness to pay.). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 28 Feb 2020.