scholarly journals Estimating the Public’s Preferences for Sustainable Aquaculture: A Country Comparison

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 569 ◽  
Author(s):  
Suzanne van Osch ◽  
Stephen Hynes ◽  
Shirra Freeman ◽  
Tim O’Higgins
Keyword(s):  
Choice Experiment ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Latent Class ◽  
Product Diversification ◽  
Sea Bream ◽  
Product Analysis ◽  
The Public ◽  
Country Comparison ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Modelling Approach

Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture (IMTA) is an alternative to the monoculture of fin fish species, in which several species are combined in the production process. This can have environmental advantages such as a lower environmental impact through nutrient cycling and natural filters; and can have economic advantages consisting of increased efficiency, product diversification and potential price premiums. In this paper, a choice experiment (CE) was conducted through an online survey in Ireland, the UK, Italy, Israel and Norway, to assess how the public makes decisions on what type of salmon or sea bream to buy based on the attributes of the product. Analysis assessed the Willingness-to-Pay (WTP) for more sustainable produced seafood using a Latent Class multinomial logit modelling approach. In the experiment, an ecolabel was used to distinguish between regularly produced (monoculture) products and sustainably produced (IMTA) products. The general public in each country showed a positive attitude towards the development of such an ecolabel and towards the payment of a price premium for the more sustainably produced salmon or sea bream.

scholarly journals Understanding public preferences and trade-offs for government responses during a pandemic: a protocol for a discrete choice experiment in the UK

BMJ Open ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. e043477
Author(s):  
Mesfin G Genie ◽  
Luis Enrique Loría-Rebolledo ◽  
Shantini Paranjothy ◽  
Daniel Powell ◽  
Mandy Ryan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Discrete Choice Experiment ◽  
Discrete Choice ◽  
Choice Experiment ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Research Unit ◽  
Media Analysis ◽  
Moral Foundation ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
Ethics Research ◽  
The Uk

IntroductionSocial distancing and lockdown measures are among the main government responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. These measures aim to limit the COVID-19 infection rate and reduce the mortality rate of COVID-19. Given we are likely to see local lockdowns until a treatment or vaccine for COVID-19 is available, and their effectiveness depends on public acceptability, it is important to understand public preference for government responses.Methods and analysisUsing a discrete choice experiment (DCE), this study will investigate the public’s preferences for pandemic responses in the UK. Attributes (and levels) are based on: (1) lockdown measures described in policy documents; (2) literature on preferences for lockdown measures and (3) a social media analysis. Attributes include: lockdown type; lockdown length; postponement of usual non-urgent medical care; number of excess deaths; number of infections; impact on household spending and job losses. We will prepilot the DCE using virtual think aloud interviews with respondents recruited via Facebook. We will collect preference data using an online survey of 4000 individuals from across the four UK countries (1000 per country). We will estimate the relative importance of the attributes, and the trade-offs individuals are willing to make between attributes. We will test if respondents’ preferences differ based on moral attitudes (using the Moral Foundation Questionnaire), socioeconomic circumstances (age, education, economic insecurity, health status), country of residence and experience of COVID-19.Ethics and disseminationThe University of Aberdeen’s College Ethics Research Board (CERB) has approved the study (reference: CERB/2020/6/1974). We will seek CERB approval for major changes from the developmental and pilot work. Peer-reviewed papers will be submitted, and results will be presented at public health and health economic conferences nationally and internationally. A lay summary will be published on the Health Economics Research Unit blog.

scholarly journals Public Preferences for Social Distancing Behaviors to Mitigate the Spread of COVID-19: A Discrete Choice Experiment

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ingrid Eshun Wilson ◽  
Aaloke Mody ◽  
Ginger McKay ◽  
Mati Hlatshwayo ◽  
Cory Bradley ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Discrete Choice Experiment ◽  
Discrete Choice ◽  
Choice Experiment ◽  
Latent Class ◽  
Latent Class Models ◽  
Second Phase ◽  
Sampling Weights ◽  
Social Distancing ◽  
The Public

AbstractPolicies to promote social distancing can minimize COVID-19 transmission, but come with substantial social and economic costs. Quantifying relative preferences of the public for such practices can inform policy prioritization and optimize uptake. We used a discrete choice experiment (DCE) to quantify relative “utilities” (preferences) for five COVID-19 pandemic social distances strategies (e.g., closure of restaurants, restriction of large gatherings) against the hypothetical risk of acquiring COVID-19 and anticipated income loss. The survey was distributed in Missouri in May-June, 2020. We applied inverse probability sampling weights to mixed logit and latent class models to generate mean preferences and identify preference classes. Overall (n=2,428), the strongest preference was for the prohibition of large gatherings, followed by preferences to keep outdoor venues, schools, and social and lifestyle venues open, 75% of the population showing probable support for a strategy that prohibited large gatherings and closed lifestyle and social venues. Latent class analysis, however revealed four preference sub-groups in the population - “risk eliminators”, “risk balancers”, “altruistic” and “risk takers”, with men twice as likely as women to belong to the risk-taking group. In this setting, public health policies which as a first phase prohibit large gatherings, as well as close social and lifestyle venues may be acceptable and adhered to by the public. In addition, policy messages that address preference heterogeneity, for example by targeting public health messages at men, could improve adherence to social distancing measures and prevent further COVID-19 transmission prior to vaccine distribution and in the event of future pandemics.Significance StatementPreferences drive behavior – DCE’s are a novel tool in public health that allow examination of preferences for a product, service or policy, identifying how the public prioritizes personal risks and cost in relation to health behaviors. Using this method to establish preferences for COVID-19 mitigation strategies, our results suggest that, firstly, a tiered approach to non-essential business closures where large gatherings are prohibited and social and lifestyle venues are closed as a first phase, would be well aligned with population preferences and may be supported by the public, while school and outdoor venue closures may require more consideration prior to a second phase of restrictions. And secondly, that important distinct preference phenotypes - that are not captured by sociodemographic (e.g., age, sex, race) characteristics - exist, and therefore that messaging should be target at such subgroups to enhance adherence to prevention efforts.

scholarly journals Typologies of postnatal support and breastfeeding at two months in the UK

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily H Emmott ◽  
Abigail Emma Page ◽  
Sarah Myers
Keyword(s):  
Family Support ◽  
Support Group ◽  
Emotional Support ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Latent Class ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Breastfeeding Rates ◽  
The Uk ◽  
To Receive

Extensive evidence suggests that social support improves breastfeeding outcomes. Building on this evidence-base, public health services and interventions aiming to improve breastfeeding rates have primarily targeted informational and emotional support to mothers, reflecting an individual behaviour-change approach. However, mothers exist within a wider social network, and the characteristics of their broader support networks may be an important predictor of breastfeeding outcomes. Here we explore the typologies of postnatal support for mothers in the UK; a population with one of the lowest breastfeeding rates in Europe. Using retrospective data from an online survey (data collection period between December 2017 and February 2018), we carry out a latent class regression (n=432) to identify “clusters” of postnatal support in our data. Mothers in our sample were most likely to receive practical and emotional support from partners and maternal grandmothers, and breastfeeding information from health professionals. We identify three distinct typologies of postnatal support: 1) Extensive support, where mothers received support from a wide range of supporters including partners, maternal grandmothers, friends and health professionals, but mothers were the only ones to feed the infant; 2) Family support, where mothers received support from partners and maternal grandmothers, including with infant feeding, but less likely to receive support from health professionals; and 3) Low support, where mothers primarily received support from partners. 94% of women with extensive support were predicted to be breastfeeding at two months, followed by 48% of mothers in the low support group, and 13% in the family support group. Our findings highlight the complexities of family support and its potential impact on breastfeeding, as well as the significance of professional support. Overall, our results hint at the potential value for health professionals to engage with wider family in order to achieve extensive support for mothers.

What is music therapy? A survey study of public awareness and perceptions of the profession

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Morgan ◽  
Jane Humphreys ◽  
Catherine Warner
Keyword(s):  
Music Therapy ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Public Awareness ◽  
Survey Study ◽  
Music Therapists ◽  
Diverse Range ◽  
The Public ◽  
Poor Understanding ◽  
Analyse Data ◽  
The Uk

Since emerging in the 1940s, the music therapy profession has grown to an estimated 15,000 qualified music therapists practising in 55 countries across a diverse range of contexts (e.g. Tsiris, 2015; WFMT, 2020). Yet music therapists feel the public have a poor understanding of the profession (e.g. Kern and Tague, 2017; Pearson, 2018); to date, however, there is no empirical evidence to support such claims. The current study sought to address this gap in the literature by conducting an online survey to explore public awareness and perceptions of music therapy. Quantitative and qualitative methods were used to analyse data from 359 non-music therapists aged 18 or over, of whom 46% were from the UK, 18% from the US, and the rest from 37 other countries. Results revealed that participants appreciated the therapeutic value of music but lacked awareness and understanding of professional music therapy services—this paper argues that such poor understanding is likely to reduce people’s prospects of seeking the service. Therefore, governing bodies of the profession should focus their attention on improving public awareness of fundamental aspects of music therapy, and helping the public distinguish between the profession of music therapy and a therapeutic use of music.

scholarly journals Using Market Segmentation Analysis to Identify Consumer Preferences for Fresh Peach Attributes

HortScience ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 53 (11) ◽  
pp. 1664-1668 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruchen Zhou ◽  
Chengyan Yue ◽  
Shuoli Zhao ◽  
R. Karina Gallardo ◽  
Vicki McCracken ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Market Segmentation ◽  
Choice Experiment ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Latent Class ◽  
Consumer Preferences ◽  
The United States ◽  
Peach Fruit ◽  
Segmentation Analysis ◽  
Heterogeneous Preference ◽  
Latent Class Logit

Consumer preferences for attributes of fresh peach fruit in the United States are largely unknown on a national basis. We used a choice experiment to explore market segmentation based on consumer heterogeneous preference for fruit attributes including external color, blemish, firmness, sweetness, flavor, and price. We collected the data using an online survey with 800 U.S. consumers. Using a latent class logit model, we identified three segments of consumers differing by different sets of preferred quality attributes: experience attribute-oriented consumers, who valued fruit quality (48.8% of the sample); search attribute-oriented consumers, who valued fruit appearance (33.7% of the sample); and balanced consumers, who considered search attributes and experience attributes but who valued each in a balanced way (17.5% of the sample). Each group demonstrated differentiated demographics and purchasing habits. The results have important marketing implications for peach breeders and suppliers.

scholarly journals Exploring cross-national public support for the use of enhanced weathering as a land-based carbon dioxide removal strategy

2021 ◽  
Vol 165 (1-2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Elspeth Spence ◽  
Emily Cox ◽  
Nick Pidgeon
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Public Attitudes ◽  
Public Support ◽  
Field Trials ◽  
The Public ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Level Of Concern ◽  
The Uk

AbstractThis study explores how public attitudes across three countries influence support towards terrestrial enhanced weathering, whereby silicate minerals are applied to agricultural land to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. An online survey was administered in Australia (N = 1000), the UK (N = 1000), and the USA (N = 1026) where there are ongoing field trials of this technique. Findings are similar across all three countries with many participants unfamiliar with enhanced weathering and unsure about supporting the use of enhanced weathering. Results show that positive affect is the main predictor for support of this technique, along with perceived benefits and level of concern about climate change. Open-ended questions asking why respondents would or would not support the use of enhanced weathering elicit mainly affective concepts, with enhanced weathering seen by individual respondents as either something mainly positive or mainly negative, with others saying it sounds risky and/or would have impacts on the environment. The way in which enhanced weathering is communicated is likely to influence support of the use of this strategy so must be undertaken carefully. Overall, our findings show that it is imperative to continue to engage the public, thereby allowing their views to be incorporated as enhanced weathering technology develops over time.

scholarly journals What Aspects of Illness Influence Public Preferences for Healthcare Priority Setting? A Discrete Choice Experiment in the UK

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liz Morrell ◽  
James Buchanan ◽  
Sian Rees ◽  
Richard W. Barker ◽  
Sarah Wordsworth
Keyword(s):  
Discrete Choice Experiment ◽  
Discrete Choice ◽  
Choice Experiment ◽  
Latent Class ◽  
Conditional Logistic Regression ◽  
Health Gain ◽  
Assessment Process ◽  
Health Conditions ◽  
Preference Heterogeneity ◽  
The Uk

Abstract Background Decisions on funding new healthcare technologies assume that all health improvements are valued equally. However, public reaction to health technology assessment (HTA) decisions suggests there are health attributes that matter deeply to them but are not currently accounted for in the assessment process. We aimed to determine the relative importance of attributes of illness that influence the value placed on alleviating that illness. Method We conducted a discrete choice experiment survey that presented general public respondents with 15 funding decisions between hypothetical health conditions. The conditions were defined by five attributes that characterise serious illnesses, plus the health gain from treatment. Respondent preferences were modelled using conditional logistic regression and latent class analysis. Results 905 members of the UK public completed the survey in November 2017. Respondents generally preferred to provide treatments for conditions with ‘better’ characteristics. The exception was treatment availability, where respondents preferred to provide treatments for conditions where there is no current treatment, and were prepared to accept lower overall health gain to do so. A subgroup of respondents preferred to prioritise ‘worse’ health states. Conclusion This study suggests a preference among the UK public for treating an unmet need; however, it does not suggest a preference for prioritising other distressing aspects of health conditions, such as limited life expectancy, or where patients are reliant on care. Our results are not consistent with the features currently prioritised in UK HTA processes, and the preference heterogeneity we identify presents a major challenge for developing broadly acceptable policy.

scholarly journals COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy is associated with beliefs on the origin of the novel coronavirus in the UK and Turkey

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-3 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gul Deniz Salali ◽  
Mete Sefa Uysal
Keyword(s):  
Online Survey ◽  
Vaccine Development ◽  
Research Effort ◽  
Vaccine Hesitancy ◽  
Effective Vaccine ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Natural Origin ◽  
The Public ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
The Uk

Abstract Background Much research effort is focused on developing an effective vaccine for combatting coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Vaccine development itself, however, will not be enough given that a sufficient amount of people will need to be vaccinated for widespread immunity. Vaccine hesitancy is on the rise, varies across countries, and is associated with conspiratorial worldview. Given the rise in COVID-19-related conspiracy theories, we aimed to examine the levels of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and its association with beliefs on the origin of the novel coronavirus in a cross-cultural study. Methods We conducted an online survey in the UK (N = 1088) and Turkey (N = 3936), and gathered information on participants' willingness to vaccinate for a potential COVID-19 vaccine, beliefs on the origin of the novel coronavirus, and several behavioural and demographic predictors (such as anxiety, risk perception, government satisfaction levels) that influence vaccination and origin beliefs. Results In all, 31% of the participants in Turkey and 14% in the UK were unsure about getting themselves vaccinated for a COVID-19 vaccine. In both countries, 3% of the participants rejected to be vaccinated. Also, 54% of the participants in Turkey and 63% in the UK believed in the natural origin of the novel coronavirus. Believing in the natural origin significantly increased the odds of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance. Conclusions Our results point at a concerning level of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy, especially in Turkey, and suggest that wider communication of the scientific consensus on the origin of the novel coronavirus with the public may help future campaigns targeting COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy.

scholarly journals Pandemic Puppies: Characterising Motivations and Behaviours of UK Owners Who Purchased Puppies during the 2020 COVID-19 Pandemic

Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (9) ◽  
pp. 2500
Author(s):  
Rowena M. A. Packer ◽  
Claire L. Brand ◽  
Zoe Belshaw ◽  
Camilla L. Pegram ◽  
Kim B. Stevens ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Logistic Regression ◽  
Regression Models ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Poor Health ◽  
Behavioural Problems ◽  
Logistic Regression Models ◽  
The Public ◽  
Media Reports ◽  
The Uk ◽  
First Time

Widespread media reports suggest that unusually high numbers of the public purchased, or sought to purchase, puppies following the first ‘lockdown’ phase of the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK, dubbed “Pandemic Puppies”. This study aimed to explore this phenomenon by comparing pre-purchase motivations and behaviours, and purchase behaviours of UK owners purchasing puppies aged < 16 weeks from 23 March 2020–31 December 2020 with those of owners who purchased puppies during the same date-period in 2019. An online survey was conducted during November-December 2020, from which 5517 valid responses were analysed (2019 puppies: n = 1148; 2020 ‘Pandemic Puppies’: n = 4369). Over 1 in 10 Pandemic Puppy owners had not considered purchasing a puppy before the pandemic, and 2 in 5 felt their decision to purchase a puppy had been influenced by the pandemic, most commonly by having more time to care for a dog (86.7%). Multivariable logistic regression models revealed that Pandemic Puppy owners were more likely to be first-time dog owners and have children in their household, were less likely to seek out a breeder that performed health testing on their breeding dog(s) or view their puppy in-person, and were more likely to pay a deposit without seeing their puppy. At purchase, Pandemic Puppies were more likely to be younger, delivered or collected from outside their breeders’ property, seen without their littermates, and cost > £2000 compared with 2019 puppies. Changes in puppy purchasing during the pandemic raise welfare concerns for this unique population, including relinquishment, behavioural problems and poor health.

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