We test whether financial incentives have an effect on weight reduction in a randomized controlled trial involving 700 obese persons assigned to three experimental groups. While two treatment groups obtain €150 and €300, respectively, for achieving an individually assigned target weight...

We test whether financial incentives have an effect on weight reduction in a randomized controlled trial involving 700 obese persons assigned to three experimental groups. While two treatment groups obtain €150 and €300, respectively, for achieving an individually assigned target weight...

Schon vor der Corona-Krise war die wirtschaftliche Lage der Krankenhäuser kontinuierlich schlechter geworden. Nun verschärft die gegenwärtige Pandemie-Situation die Schwierigkeiten weiter. Damit auch in Zukunft eine konsequente Orientierung am Patientenwohl gemeinsam mit einer hohen...

Die 7-Tage-Inzidenz ist als Entscheidungsgrundlage für ein adäquates Management der Corona-Pandemie zunehmend ungeeignet. Eine hohe Impfquote unter den vulnerablen, älteren Bevölkerungsgruppen und ein erhöhtes Infektionsgeschehen unter den Jüngeren hat die Bedeutung der Inzidenzwerte für...

The evaluation of interventions such as active labor market policies or medical programs by means of a randomized controlled trial is often considered the gold standard. However, randomized experiments might face severe shortcomings especially if performed at the group level. One such problem is...

We complement the empirical evidence on the sustainability of weight loss achieved through cash rewards and, for the first time, rigorously examine the potential of cash rewards to prevent weight cycling. In a three period randomized controlled trial, about 700 obese persons were first assigned...

This paper examines weight loss and the formation of healthy habits through cash rewards in the context of a multi-phase randomized controlled trial involving 700 obese individuals. We find effects of monetary incentives for weight loss of up to EUR 300 on body weight during all experimental...

This paper examines weight loss and the formation of healthy habits through cash rewards in the context of a multi-phase randomized controlled trial involving 700 obese individuals. We find effects of monetary incentives for weight loss of up to EUR 300 on body weight during all experimental...

Propensity score matching is a prominent strategy to reduce imbalance in observational studies. However, if imbalance is considerable and the control reservoir is small, either one has to match one control to several treated units or, alternatively, discard many treated persons. The first...

Die industrialisierte Welt erlebt zurzeit aufgrund der von SARS-CoV-2 ("Corona-Virus") ausgelösten Pandemie eine einmalige Krisensituation. Die vorliegende RWI Position stellt sieben Empfehlungen für eine Strategie zum Umgang mit der akuten Herausforderung im Gesundheitswesen auf. Ihre...