scholarly journals Impact Evaluation of an SMS Campaign to Promote Household Chlorination in Rural Haiti

Water ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (11) ◽  
pp. 3095
Author(s):  
Michael Ritter ◽  
Eveline Camille ◽  
Christophe Velcine ◽  
Rose-Kerline Guillaume ◽  
Jean Marcel Casimir ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cost Effective ◽  
Target Population ◽  
Purchase Behavior ◽  
Household Water Treatment ◽  
Behavior Change Interventions ◽  
Message Service ◽  
Usage Patterns ◽  
Mobile Phone Usage ◽  
Sales Agent ◽  
The Impact

Despite documented health benefits of household water treatment and storage (HWTS), achieving sustained use remains challenging. In prior evaluations of a long-term HWTS program in Haiti, multiple marketing interventions failed to increase use or had prohibitively high costs. Using mobile phones is a potentially cost-effective way to change HWTS behavior. We conducted a randomized experiment to evaluate the impact of sending short-message service (SMS) messages to promote household chlorination in this program in Haiti. Households (n = 1327) were randomly assigned to: One of four SMS frequencies; one of ten behavioral constructs; “cholera” or “disease” framing; and one or zero household visits from a sales agent. During the three-month campaign, there were no statistically significant relationships between the four outcomes related to chlorine purchases and any SMS frequency, any behavioral construct, or either “cholera” or “disease” framing. Receiving one visit increased the probability of purchasing a bottle of chlorine by 17.1 percentage points (p < 0.001) but did not affect subsequent purchase behavior. Costs of managing the SMS campaign were higher than expected. SMS campaigns may not be cost-effective behavior change interventions in certain contexts. If pursued, we recommend simple interventions, timed with the target behavior, and tailored to mobile phone usage patterns of the target population.

Mobile Phone Usage Patterns, Security Concerns, and Security Practices of Digital Generation

2021 ◽  
pp. 465-483
Author(s):  
Sonya Zhang ◽  
Saree Costa
Keyword(s):  
Mobile Phone ◽  
Mobile Phones ◽  
Mobile Security ◽  
Personal Attributes ◽  
High Tech ◽  
Security Practices ◽  
Usage Patterns ◽  
Security Concerns ◽  
Mobile Phone Usage ◽  
The Impact

As the digital generations have grown up with high-tech gadgets and become avid users of mobile phones and apps, they are also exposed to increasing mobile security threats and vulnerability. In this paper the authors discuss the impact of recent mobile technology advancements on mobile threat environment and mobile security practices. They also conducted a survey to 262 college students to examine their mobile phone usage patterns, security concerns and practices. The results show that students use their mobile phone frequently for various productivity and entertainment purposes. They are generally aware of and concerned about mobile security, not only on losing the phone physically but also on data theft, web threat, and mobile malware. Students also practice security to some extend - most change PIN and passwords regularly, download their apps mostly from official app stores, and generally keep their OS and apps up-to-date. The authors also found significant correlations between mobile security practices and personal attributes, including major, gender, and technology aptitude.

Mobile Phone Usage Patterns, Security Concerns, and Security Practices of Digital Generation

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 23-39
Author(s):  
Sonya Zhang ◽  
Saree Costa
Keyword(s):  
Mobile Phone ◽  
Mobile Security ◽  
Personal Attributes ◽  
High Tech ◽  
Security Threats ◽  
Security Practices ◽  
Usage Patterns ◽  
Security Concerns ◽  
Mobile Phone Usage ◽  
The Impact

As the digital generations have grown up with high-tech gadgets and become avid users of mobile phones and apps, they are also exposed to increasing mobile security threats and vulnerability. In this paper the authors discuss the impact of recent mobile technology advancements on mobile threat environment and mobile security practices. They also conducted a survey to 262 college students to examine their mobile phone usage patterns, security concerns and practices. The results show that students use their mobile phone frequently for various productivity and entertainment purposes. They are generally aware of and concerned about mobile security, not only on losing the phone physically but also on data theft, web threat, and mobile malware. Students also practice security to some extend - most change PIN and passwords regularly, download their apps mostly from official app stores, and generally keep their OS and apps up-to-date. The authors also found significant correlations between mobile security practices and personal attributes, including major, gender, and technology aptitude.

scholarly journals The Influence of Adtrust (Trust In Advertising) on Current and Future Purchases of Consumers: A Study of Hair Products in Pakistan

2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 30-43
Author(s):  
Aisha Yusuf Mesiya ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Large Data ◽  
Target Population ◽  
Purchase Behavior ◽  
Consumer Trust ◽  
High Involvement ◽  
Gender And Age ◽  
Product Choices ◽  
Independent Variable ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Vast Range

With a vast range of choices available for products from low to high involvement, one of the factors to initiate a purchase is the product’s advertising technique, which can even go wasted if the potential consumers of the product lack trust in the information conveyed through its advertisement. This paper attempts to investigate the impact of consumer trust in advertising on purchase behavior of hair products (shampoos) in Pakistan, and aims to look at their relationship through the moderators of gender and age. The target population for the study is consumers of various shampoo brands available for use and being advertised in Pakistan. The sample comprises of 200 respondents belonging to different demographic categories from Karachi, where all the various forms of advertisement media are in function at large. Data was gathered through a structured questionnaire filled by the respondents, bearing 23 items related to the independent variable of Trust in Advertising and the dependent variable of Consumer Purchase Behavior (current and future purchase). After the analysis of data, the results showed that trust in advertising and purchase behavior have significant relationship with each other, but only the sub-variable of Affect bears significant impact on purchase behavior. With a vast range of product choices available from low to high involvement, product brands and advertising companies should take into account the trust factor at large, otherwise potential consumers of the product might become disloyal if they lack trust in the information conveyed through its advertisement

Regulatory and sustainability initiatives lead to improved polyaminopolyamide epichlorohydrin (PAE) wet-strength resins and paper products

TAPPI Journal ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 17 (09) ◽  
pp. 519-532 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark Crisp ◽  
Richard Riehle
Keyword(s):  
Health And Safety ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Worker Safety ◽  
Regulatory Requirements ◽  
Wet Strength ◽  
The Past ◽  
Consumer Safety ◽  
Federal Institute ◽  
Sustainability Initiatives ◽  
The Impact

Polyaminopolyamide-epichlorohydrin (PAE) resins are the predominant commercial products used to manufacture wet-strengthened paper products for grades requiring wet-strength permanence. Since their development in the late 1950s, the first generation (G1) resins have proven to be one of the most cost-effective technologies available to provide wet strength to paper. Throughout the past three decades, regulatory directives and sustainability initiatives from various organizations have driven the development of cleaner and safer PAE resins and paper products. Early efforts in this area focused on improving worker safety and reducing the impact of PAE resins on the environment. These efforts led to the development of resins containing significantly reduced levels of 1,3-dichloro-2-propanol (1,3-DCP) and 3-monochloropropane-1,2-diol (3-MCPD), potentially carcinogenic byproducts formed during the manufacturing process of PAE resins. As the levels of these byproducts decreased, the environmental, health, and safety (EH&S) profile of PAE resins and paper products improved. Recent initiatives from major retailers are focusing on product ingredient transparency and quality, thus encouraging the development of safer product formulations while maintaining performance. PAE resin research over the past 20 years has been directed toward regulatory requirements to improve consumer safety and minimize exposure to potentially carcinogenic materials found in various paper products. One of the best known regulatory requirements is the recommendations of the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), which defines the levels of 1,3-DCP and 3-MCPD that can be extracted by water from various food contact grades of paper. These criteria led to the development of third generation (G3) products that contain very low levels of 1,3-DCP (typically <10 parts per million in the as-received/delivered resin). This paper outlines the PAE resin chemical contributors to adsorbable organic halogens and 3-MCPD in paper and provides recommendations for the use of each PAE resin product generation (G1, G1.5, G2, G2.5, and G3).

Exploring the Benefits of Early Contractor Involvement (ECI) and the Mechanism for Automated 5D BIM Quantification Process in Offsite Modular Construction

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tochukwu Moses ◽  
David Heesom ◽  
David Oloke ◽  
Martin Crouch
Keyword(s):  
Effective Means ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Modular Construction ◽  
Automated Quantification ◽  
Building Information ◽  
Project Risks ◽  
Value Add ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Level 2

The UK Construction Industry through its Government Construction Strategy has recently been mandated to implement Level 2 Building Information Modelling (BIM) on public sector projects. This move, along with other initiatives is key to driving a requirement for 25% cost reduction (establishing the most cost-effective means) on. Other key deliverables within the strategy include reduction in overall project time, early contractor involvement, improved sustainability and enhanced product quality. Collaboration and integrated project delivery is central to the level 2 implementation strategy yet the key protocols or standards relative to cost within BIM processes is not well defined. As offsite construction becomes more prolific within the UK construction sector, this construction approach coupled with BIM, particularly 5D automated quantification process, and early contractor involvement provides significant opportunities for the sector to meet government targets. Early contractor involvement is supported by both the industry and the successive Governments as a credible means to avoid and manage project risks, encourage innovation and value add, making cost and project time predictable, and improving outcomes. The contractor is seen as an expert in construction and could be counter intuitive to exclude such valuable expertise from the pre-construction phase especially with the BIM intent of äóÖbuild it twiceäó», once virtually and once physically. In particular when offsite construction is used, the contractoräó»s construction expertise should be leveraged for the virtual build in BIM-designed projects to ensure a fully streamlined process. Building in a layer of automated costing through 5D BIM will bring about a more robust method of quantification and can help to deliver the 25% reduction in overall cost of a project. Using a literature review and a case study, this paper will look into the benefits of Early Contractor Involvement (ECI) and the impact of 5D BIM on the offsite construction process.

Pound Wise and Penny Foolish? Weight Loss and The Dynamics of Health Care Spending

2011 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas G Koch
Keyword(s):  
Weight Loss ◽  
Cost Savings ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Economic Consequences ◽  
Health Care Spending ◽  
Order Of Magnitude ◽  
Dynamic Measures ◽  
The Cost ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

Current estimates of obesity costs ignore the impact of future weight loss and gain, and may either over or underestimate economic consequences of weight loss. In light of this, I construct static and dynamic measures of medical costs associated with body mass index (BMI), to be balanced against the cost of one-time interventions. This study finds that ignoring the implications of weight loss and gain over time overstates the medical-cost savings of such interventions by an order of magnitude. When the relationship between spending and age is allowed to vary, weight-loss attempts appear to be cost-effective starting and ending with middle age. Some interventions recently proven to decrease weight may also be cost-effective.

Motivating Compliance: Firm Response to Mandatory Disclosure Policies

2018 ◽  
Vol 32 (2) ◽  
pp. 103-119
Author(s):  
Colleen M. Boland ◽  
Chris E. Hogan ◽  
Marilyn F. Johnson
Keyword(s):  
Conflict Of Interest ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Data Availability ◽  
Policy Adoption ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Regulated Firms ◽  
Firm Response ◽  
Disclosure Rules ◽  
The Impact

SYNOPSIS Mandatory existence disclosure rules require an organization to disclose a policy's existence, but not its content. We examine policy adoption frequencies in the year immediately after the IRS required mandatory existence disclosure by nonprofits of various governance policies. We also examine adoption frequencies in the year of the subsequent change from mandatory existence disclosure to a disclose-and-explain regime that required supplemental disclosures about the content and implementation of conflict of interest policies. Our results suggest that in areas where there is unclear regulatory authority, mandatory existence disclosure is an effective and low cost regulatory device for encouraging the adoption of policies desired by regulators, provided those policies are cost-effective for regulated firms to implement. In addition, we find that disclose-and-explain regulatory regimes provide stronger incentives for policy adoption than do mandatory existence disclosure regimes and also discourage “check the box” behavior. Future research should examine the impact of mandatory existence disclosure rules in the year that the regulation is implemented. Data Availability: Data are available from sources cited in the text.

scholarly journals Control of Oxygen Impurities in a Continuous-Feeding Czochralski-Silicon Crystal Growth by the Double-Crucible Method

Crystals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 264
Author(s):  
Wenhan Zhao ◽  
Jiancheng Li ◽  
Lijun Liu
Keyword(s):  
Oxygen Concentration ◽  
Silicon Crystal ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Czochralski Method ◽  
Crucible Wall ◽  
Oxygen Impurity ◽  
Continuous Feeding ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Oxygen Impurities ◽  
Crystal Interface

The continuous-feeding Czochralski method is a cost-effective method to grow single silicon crystals. An inner crucible is used to prevent the un-melted silicon feedstock from transferring to the melt-crystal interface in this method. A series of global simulations were carried out to investigate the impact of the inner crucible on the oxygen impurity distributions at the melt-crystal interface. The results indicate that, the inner crucible plays a more important role in affecting the O concentration at the melt-crystal interface than the outer crucible. It can prevent the oxygen impurities from being transported from the outer crucible wall effectively. Meanwhile, it also introduces as a new source of oxygen impurity in the melt, likely resulting in a high oxygen concentration zone under the melt-crystal interface. We proposed to enlarge the inner crucible diameter so that the oxygen concentration at the melt-crystal interface can be controlled at low levels.

scholarly journals Cost-effectiveness and feasibility of conditional economic incentives and motivational interviewing to improve HIV health outcomes of adolescents living with HIV in Anambra State, Nigeria

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Obinna Ikechukwu Ekwunife ◽  
Chinelo Janefrances Ofomata ◽  
Charles Ebuka Okafor ◽  
Maureen Ugonwa Anetoh ◽  
Stephen Okorafor Kalu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Viral Load ◽  
Cost Effectiveness ◽  
Service Delivery ◽  
Motivational Interviewing ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Economic Incentives ◽  
Additional Patient ◽  
Incentive Scheme ◽  
The Cost ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background In sub-Saharan Africa, there is increasing mortality and morbidity of adolescents due to poor linkage, retention in HIV care and adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART). This is a result of limited adolescent-centred service delivery interventions. This cost-effectiveness and feasibility study were piggybacked on a cluster-randomized trial that assessed the impact of an adolescent-centred service delivery intervention. The service delivery intervention examined the impact of an incentive scheme consisting of conditional economic incentives and motivational interviewing on the health outcomes of adolescents living with HIV in Nigeria. Method A cost-effectiveness analysis from the healthcare provider’s perspective was performed to assess the cost per additional patient achieving undetected viral load through the proposed intervention. The cost-effectiveness of the incentive scheme over routine care was estimated using the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER), expressed as cost/patient who achieved an undetectable viral load. We performed a univariate sensitivity analysis to examine the effect of key parameters on the ICER. An in-depth interview was conducted on the healthcare personnel in the intervention arm to explore the feasibility of implementing the service delivery intervention in HIV treatment hospitals in Nigeria. Result The ICER of the Incentive Scheme intervention compared to routine care was US$1419 per additional patient with undetectable viral load. Going by the cost-effectiveness threshold of US$1137 per quality-adjusted life-years suggested by Woods et al., 2016, the intervention was not cost-effective. The sensitivity test showed that the intervention will be cost-effective if the frequency of CD4 count and viral load tests are reduced from quarterly to triannually. Healthcare professionals reported that patients’ acceptance of the intervention was very high. Conclusion The conditional economic incentives and motivational interviewing was not cost-effective, but can become cost-effective if the frequency of HIV quality of life indicator tests are performed 1–3 times per annum. Patients’ acceptance of the intervention was very high. However, healthcare professionals believed that sustaining the intervention may be difficult unless factors such as government commitment and healthcare provider diligence are duly addressed. Trial registration This trial is registered in the WHO International Clinical Trials Registry through the WHO International Registry Network (PACTR201806003040425).

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document