scholarly journals Why Do Farmers Grow Tobacco? A Qualitative Exploration of Farmers Perspectives in Indonesia and Philippines

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (13) ◽  
pp. 2330 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adriana Appau ◽  
Jeffrey Drope ◽  
Firman Witoelar ◽  
Jenina Joy Chavez ◽  
Raphael Lencucha
Keyword(s):  
Institutional Factors ◽  
Interpretive Description ◽  
Focus Group Discussions ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Access To Credit ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Alternative Livelihood ◽  
Qualitative Exploration ◽  
Inductive Thematic Analysis

Tobacco supply remains a pressing challenge to tobacco control. Tobacco remains a dominant cash crop in many low- and middle-income countries, despite the evidence suggesting that it is not as profitable as industry claims and is harmful to health and the environment. In order to implement successful and sustainable alternative livelihood interventions, it is important to understand why farmers continue to grow tobacco. This study explores this question from the perspective of farmers in Indonesia and Philippines. This study was informed by interpretive description methodology. Data was collected through focus group discussions (FGDs) (n = 7) with farmers (n = ~60). The FGDs were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim, and then translated into English. An inductive thematic analysis of the data was conducted to identify and categorize the reason provided by participants. We identified two overarching themes: (1) perceived viability (profitability, ready market, and environmental factors) and (2) financial context. Financial context included lumpsum payments and access to financial loans and credit facilities in light of their lack of capital. These results highlight that, in addition to identifying viable alternatives to tobacco, institutional factors such as improved access to credit and well-developed supply chains are key to the successful uptake of alternative livelihoods.

scholarly journals Formative Research to Design a Child-Friendly Latrine in Bangladesh

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (21) ◽  
pp. 11092
Author(s):  
Tarique Md. Nurul Huda ◽  
Tania Jahir ◽  
Sushobhan Sarker ◽  
Farzana Yeasmin ◽  
Abdullah Al Masud ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Focus Group Discussions ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Roof Tile ◽  
Enabling Technologies ◽  
Child Friendly ◽  
Common Barriers ◽  
Depth Interviews ◽  
Latrine Use

In low- and middle-income countries, most latrines are not accessible to young children. We explored how to modify existing pit latrines to make them child friendly. We conducted four focus group discussions with mothers to explore barriers to child latrine use. We then enrolled 20 households with a child aged 3–7 years old to test six enabling technologies developed based on the identified barriers. Two to three weeks after installing the selected enabling technologies in each household, researchers conducted 19 in-depth interviews with caregivers to explore the technologies’ acceptance and feasibility. Common barriers included the discomfort of squatting on a large pan, fear of darkness, and fear of a slippery floor. Of the potential solutions, a ring to stabilize the child while squatting in the latrine was preferred by children and was affordable and available. A wooden board with a smaller hole than the usual pan reduced fears of falling and helped eliminate discomfort but was inconvenient to handle and clean. A transparent fiberglass roof tile was affordable, available, increased visibility, and kept the latrine floor dry. In conclusion, the fiberglass roof tile and stability ring were two affordable and locally available technologies that facilitated latrine use by children aged 3–7 years.

scholarly journals “It’s all About the Colors:” How do Mexico City Youth Perceive Cigarette Pack Design

2021 ◽  
Vol 66 ◽  
Author(s):  
Graziele Grilo ◽  
Lisa P. Lagasse ◽  
Joanna E. Cohen ◽  
Meghan B. Moran ◽  
Luz Myriam Reynales-Shigematsu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mexico City ◽  
Focus Group Discussions ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Packaging Design ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Cigarette Pack ◽  
Branding Strategies ◽  
Product Appeal ◽  
Cigarette Packs

Objectives: Cigarette packs are relevant to branding strategies, designed to appeal to specific groups. There is little research on how pack features increase product appeal among key constituents such as youth in low- and middle-income countries.Methods: We conducted 10 focus group discussions (FGDs) with adolescents and 5 FGDs with young adult smokers in Mexico City, separated by age, gender, smoking, and socioeconomic status. Participants separated 23 cigarette packs into “appealing” and “unappealing” groups, and were asked to explain their decisions, describing the features that supported their views. FGDs were video-recorded, transcribed in Spanish, translated into English, and subjected to thematic analysis.Results: Pack groupings did not differ greatly across FGDs; bold, contrasting colors and elements communicating flavor and promotion increased cigarette pack appeal and desire to try. Participants perceived packs with these features to be used by and designed for youth, like themselves.Conclusion: Our findings reinforce the importance of packaging design in attracting new consumers and maintaining current ones. Mexico should consider stronger tobacco advertising policies that include packaging color and depiction of flavor to reduce product appeal.

Problems and Practice of Management on Menstruation by Adolescents Girls of Basic Schools of Chitwan, Nepal

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
pp. 85-94
Author(s):  
Sudha Ghimire
Keyword(s):  
Current Practice ◽  
Quantitative Information ◽  
Community Schools ◽  
Mixed Method Research ◽  
Participatory Action ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Field Notes ◽  
Sanitary Pads

Managing menstruation in a hygienic way is a challenge in most of the low and middle-income countries (LMIC) including Nepal, where normal and natural physiological process of menstruation is considered as girls’ problem which is viewed as sinful, unholy and matter of shame. This paper explores the current practice and existing difficulties that adolescents girls encounter hygienic management of menstruation (MHM) especially during school days. The study was conducted on five purposively selected community schools of Chitwan district. The study adopted Participatory Action Research (PAR) as an approach, that is encapsulated with mixed method research design. For qualitative information observation, focus group discussions (FGD) and field notes were used, whereas for quantitative data self-administrative questionnaires were used. Quantitative information was collected from 205 girls students who were present at schools on the day of data collection. The finding shows that majority of the girls (93.7%) who encounter hygienic management of menstruation were of 10-14 years old age, whereas nearly one third of them were (29%) from grade eight. Similarly, among the total 205 girls, only 79 girls have already started their menstruation; among those who have started menstruation majority (78%) had heard about menstruation form their mothers. Likewise, 35% girls used homemade cotton pads and 40.5% of them changed pad three times a day. During FGD, adolescents girls shared that lack of water and soap in toilets, stress and lack of concentration during menstruation are the major difficulties which they encounter during days of menstruation. They suggested the concerned authorities to manage pad bank, make soap and water available, and develop skills for proper disposing of used sanitary pads for MHM at schools. 

scholarly journals Determinants of Long Immunization Clinic Wait Times in a Sub-Saharan African Country

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
pp. 2333794X2110282
Author(s):  
Osayame Austine Ekhaguere ◽  
Rosena Olubanke Oluwafemi ◽  
Angela Oyo-Ita ◽  
Burke Mamlin ◽  
Paul Bondich ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Focus Group ◽  
Critical Mass ◽  
Wait Time ◽  
Wait Times ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Group Data ◽  
Focus Group Data ◽  
Sub Saharan

The wait time clients spend during immunization clinic visits in low- and middle-income countries is a not well-understood reported barrier to vaccine completion. We used a prospective, observational design to document the total time from client arrival-to-discharge and all sequential provider-client activities in 1 urban, semi-urban, and rural immunization clinic in Nigeria. We also conducted caregiver and provider focus group discussions to identify perceived determinants of long clinic wait times. Our findings show that the time from arrival-to-discharge varied significantly by the clinic and ranged between 57 and 235 minutes, as did arrival-to-all providers-client activities. Focus group data attributed workflow delays to clinic staff waiting for a critical mass of clients to arrive for their immunization appointment before starting the essential health education talk or opening specific vaccine vials. Additionally, respondents indicated that complex documentation processes caused system delays. Research on clinic workflow transformation and simplification of immunization documentation is needed.

scholarly journals Endogenous conflict resolution mechanisms of the San people at Platfontein

2014 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
M Y Gebregeorgis
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Conflict Resolution ◽  
Focus Group ◽  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
The State ◽  
Focus Group Discussions ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Inductive Thematic Analysis

The objective of this study was to explore the endogenous conflict resolution mechanisms and practices of the San people at Platfontein, South Africa. To this end, data were collected from 304 interviews and 26 focus group discussions. The collected data were analysed through Inductive Thematic Analysis. The findings show that the San people have endogenous conflict resolution mechanisms which basically aim at restoring peace and harmony within the community. The endogenous mechanisms were found to be fairly participatory and supplementary to the state machineries that work for justice, peace and harmony. However, the conflict resolution mechanisms of the San people are currently weakening due to the impact of modernisation and the leadership dispute among the sub-groups of the community.

Assessing determinants of programmatic performance of community management of malaria, pneumonia, and diarrhea in children in Africa: Protocol and data collection for a mixed-methods evaluation of iCCM (Preprint)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aliya Karim ◽  
Don de Savigny ◽  
Serge Ngaima ◽  
Daniel Mäusezahl ◽  
Daniel Cobos Muñoz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Focus Group ◽  
Child Health ◽  
Data Collection ◽  
Intervention Effectiveness ◽  
Focus Group Discussions ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Key Informant ◽  
Low And Middle Income

BACKGROUND Integrated community case management (iCCM) is a child health program designed to provide integrated, community-based care for pneumonia, malaria and diarrhea for children in hard-to-reach areas of low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The foundation of the intervention is service-delivery by community health workers (CHWs) who depend on reliable provision of drugs and supplies, consistent supervision, comprehensive training, and community acceptance and participation to perform optimally. The effectiveness of the program may also depend on a number of other elements, including an enabling policy environment, financing mechanisms from the national to the local level, data transmission systems, and appropriate monitoring and evaluation. The extent to which these factors act upon each other to influence the effectiveness and viability of iCCM is both variable and challenging to assess, especially across different implementation contexts. OBJECTIVE In this paper, we describe a mixed-methods systems-based study protocol to assess the programmatic components of iCCM which are associated with intervention effectiveness, and report preliminary results of data collection. METHODS This protocol employs a mixed qualitative and quantitative study design based on a Systems Thinking approach within four iCCM programs in Malawi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Niger State, and Abia State, Nigeria. Routine monitoring data is collected to determine intervention effectiveness, namely testing, treatment and referral outcomes. Surveys with CHWs, supervisors, and caregivers are performed to collect quantitative data on their demographics, activities, and experiences within the program, and how these relate to the areas of intervention effectiveness. Focus group discussions are conducted with these stakeholders as well as local traditional leaders to contextualize this data. Key informant interviews are undertaken with national and district-level program stakeholders and officers knowledgeable in critical program processes. RESULTS We performed 3,836 surveys and 45 focus group discussions with CHWs, supervisors, and caregivers, and traditional leaders; 120 key informant interviews with district and national-level program managers, health officers, and ministry officials. Policy and program documents were additionally collected for review. CONCLUSIONS Evidence from this study will inform child health programs and practice in low- and middle-income settings, and future policy development within the iCCM intervention.

Formative study of non-credit students at Kingsborough Community College, City University of New York

2020 ◽  
pp. 147797142091592
Author(s):  
Sarantsetseg Davaasambuu ◽  
Christine Zagari
Keyword(s):  
Community College ◽  
New York ◽  
Sampling Method ◽  
Faculty Members ◽  
Academic Departments ◽  
Focus Group Discussions ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Access To Credit ◽  
Depth Interviews

The study examined students’ needs and satisfaction at the Kingsborough Community College in Brooklyn, NY. Purposive sampling method was used to examine the needs and satisfaction of the allied healthcare programme and the English as a Second Language programme students. Results of the focus group discussions and in-depth interviews with students and faculty members demonstrate that there is still a lot of work that needs to be done to assist non-credit students to complete their programmes. By learning the perceptions of the non-credit students, the college can make necessary changes for improvements, which ultimately will bring a higher return on investments and engagement of the non-credit student population. The needs and satisfactions of this population have to be taken seriously; whereby providing students by access to credit programmes, generating meaningful outcomes for a range of their needs, and facilitating the long-term pursuit of degree in connection to the academic departments.

scholarly journals ‘People have started to deliver in the facility these days’: a qualitative exploration of factors affecting facility delivery in Ethiopia

BMJ Open ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. e025516 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zelee Hill ◽  
Yared Amare ◽  
Pauline Scheelbeek ◽  
Joanna Schellenberg
Keyword(s):  
Rural Communities ◽  
Focus Group ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Facility Delivery ◽  
Focus Group Discussions ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Positive Experiences ◽  
Qualitative Exploration ◽  
Push And Pull

ObjectivesTo understand the recent rise in facility deliveries in Ethiopia.DesignA qualitative study.SettingFour rural communities in two regions of Ethiopia.Participants12 narrative, 12 in-depth interviews and four focus group discussions with recently delivered women; and four focus group discussions with each of grandmothers, fathers and community health workers.ResultsWe found that several interwoven factors led to the increase in facility deliveries, and that respondents reported that the importance of these factors varied over time. The initial catalysts were a saturation of messages around facility delivery, improved accessibility of facilities, the prohibition of traditional birth attendants, and elders having less influence on deciding the place of delivery. Once women started to deliver in facilities, the drivers of the behaviour changed as women had positive experiences. As more women began delivering in facilities, families shared positive experiences of the facilities, leading to others deciding to deliver in a facility.ConclusionOur findings highlight the need to employ strategies that act at multiple levels, and that both push and pull families to health facilities.

scholarly journals Middle income trap and factors affecting the risk of growth slowdown in upper middle income countries

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 350-360
Author(s):  
Uğur Ursavaş ◽  
Hakan Sarıbaş
Keyword(s):  
Trade Openness ◽  
The United States ◽  
Institutional Factors ◽  
Law And Order ◽  
Probit Regression ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Inflation Variability ◽  
Do So

In this paper, we investigate the macroeconomic, demographic and institutional factors affecting the probability of growth slowdown in upper-middle-income countries within the framework of the growth slowdown methodology developed by Eichengreen et al. (2011). To do so, we use probit regression, and the dataset covers the period 1980-2015. The results show that growth slowdown occurs when per capita income reaches 22 percent of that in the United States. Besides, an increase in the relative income, gross capital formation, trade openness, years of total schooling, old dependency ratio and law and order index increases the risk of growth slowdown, whereas an increase in public debt, inflation variability and years of secondary and higher schooling decreases the risk of growth slowdown.

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