What is the effectiveness of financial support schemes for individuals requested to self-isolate following a positive Covid test or positive contact?

Background

People who tested positive for COVID-19 were encouraged to self-isolate or ‘quarantine’ to avoid further spread within the broader population. Financial support approaches were sometimes offered to support people to isolate, but their effectiveness was largely unknown.

Aim

The aim of this review was to find out how effective these financial measures were in supporting compliance, reducing transmission and thus, infection levels.

Method

Following a review of existing literature, 9 studies were found to be relevant to the proposed question, 7 of which were directly related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The remaining 2 were set in the context of the 2009 ‘swine flu’ pandemic.

Evidence Quality

The evidence base of 9 studies for this review was small.

Unfortunately, none of the studies found were UK-based, which limits the relevance to a UK setting.  All the studies were written in English. The quality of the studies was limited by the scientific rigour of the methods used.

Results

6 of the studies concluded that financial support was associated with higher compliance with isolation. The swine flu pandemic related papers suggested that financial support and improved social restriction information was also associated with better compliance.

An economic study showed that support programmes have the potential to be cost-effective interventions for promoting compliance.

Conclusion

Although there was some evidence to suggest that financial support for isolation can increase compliance, limit social engagement, and reduce infection levels, more research would be needed to confirm this. Likewise, the studies did not clearly indicate the amount of financial support required to make the intervention successful.

There was no evidence related to effectiveness of financial support for disadvantaged populations who are required to isolate, or any insight into the impact of financial support on equality. Therefore, limited real-world relevance can be derived from this.

Further Work

The lack of UK based research, and research based on support for disadvantaged populations in this area, should be the key focus of future investigations. This would help provide a better understanding for UK-based financial support schemes for individuals required to self-isolate.

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Summary author: Sally Anstey, Patient and Public Group representative