The Combined Role of Subsidy and Discussion Intervention in the Demand for a Stigmatized Product.

This article examines the combined impact of price subsidization and group discussion intervention on increasing the demand for disposable sanitary pads in rural Nepal, where menstrual stigma imposes psychological costs that limit product adoption. Using a randomized controlled trial, women were assigned discount coupons at varying levels and some were invited to participate in group discussions addressing menstrual health and stigma. Results indicate that while subsidies alone increase adoption, coupling subsidies with group discussions leads to significantly higher redemption rates, especially among women experiencing higher psychological costs due to stigma. The study suggests that integrating group discussion with subsidization can be a cost-effective strategy to enhance uptake of health products constrained by social norms, with implications for policy design in similar contexts.