The impact of message framing on uptake of vision health services for rural students in China: A randomized control trial

Improving the uptake of public health services and technology is a critical problem for developing nations. Using the example of student vision health care seeking behavior in rural China, this research investigates whether the framing effect in behavioral economics is useful in promoting uptake of public health services under a subsidy intervention. Using randomized controlled trials, 35 rural schools in two counties in Shaanxi province were randomly assigned to different intervention groups, each of which delivered information to students and parents with different message framing. The study found that: (1) Both the gain and loss message framing can significantly improve the vision center visit rate and eyeglasses ownership of rural students with visual impairment and the uptake of public health services. (2) There was no significant difference in the intervention effect of the two message framing. (3) Message framing are more effective for students with high perceived value of eyeglasses voucher, and message framing improves the overall vision health services uptake by increasing the visit rate of students with high perceived value. The findings may serve as a theoretical foundation for future public health service strategies aimed at increasing the contribution of non-economic interventions to economic interventions, thereby promoting the usage of public health services by employing applicable behavioral economics theories.