Malnutrition and the Risk of Catastrophic Health Expenditure in Nigeria

BACKGROUND: Malnutrition among children not only affects their health consequences but also does it burden their households’ finance especially in developing countries. This study evaluates the household risk of catastrophic health expenditure (CHE) due to malnutrition treatments among malnourished children in Nigeria, according to zones and wealth quintiles. We simulate the CHE risk among households with malnourished children who seek treatment.  METHODS: The CHE risk due to malnutrition among treated was computed based on 1) the out-of-pocket (OOP) expenditure and indirect costs associated with malnutrition treatment, and 2) household consumption expenditures. I derived the CHE risk associated with malnutrition across zones and wealth quintiles in Nigeria, using secondary data sources for healthcare utilization, OOP expenditures, and consumption expenditures. RESULTS: There was a large variation of CHE risk according to zones and wealth quintiles. Among the poorest households, those in northeast and northwest would have the highest risk of CHE, up to 59 and 47%, while those in southwest would have the lowest risk of 14%. For all zones, as the wealth increases, the CHE risk would decrease. There would be zero or very little CHE risk among the richest households in any zones. INTERPRETATION: Nutrition interventions will help malnourished children improve their health status. However, we should also be wary about the financial consequences of the treatment that households should bear.

Having a Post-Retirement Job: Improvisation and Containing Commitments

This qualitative paper focuses on individuals who work after pensionable age, a distinctive period in the late career when workers are supported by the known and reliable income of a pension. Using constant comparative analysis, we analyzed interviews from a purposive sample of 25 Swedish people in their late sixties and early seventies. We examined conditions for being in paid work in terms of enabling factors (self-employment, shift work, shortage occupation), improvisation, and the role of chance. The interviews revealed that post-retirement workers took charge of the aspects of work that mattered most to them, evading the disciplinary aspects of work by controlling scheduling and limiting the duration of their commitment. These constrained commitments had knock-on effects of improving psychosocial working conditions. Women and immigrants—groups facing low pensions—experienced the greatest financial consequences of being unable to work in their retirement years in order to supplement their pension income.

Examining the Effect of Short-Term Affect on Farmers’ Risk and Time Preferences in Financial Decision-Making

Farmers regularly make intertemporal decisions under risk or uncertainty. To improve how farmers behave when faced with decisions that have financial consequences, there is a need for a deeper understanding of farmers’ risk and time preferences. While the relationship between individual components of affect and risk preferences is well documented, the same cannot be said for holistic measures of affect on one hand, and for affect and time preferences on the other hand. The data analysed in this paper is the 2014–2015 Indonesian Family Life Survey Wave 5. The survey included experimental measures designed to elicit both risk and time preferences from the same subjects. We analysed the data using limited dependent variable regression models. Our findings strengthen what is known about the affect infusion model. With increased pleasant affect, farmers’ willingness to take risks increases significantly. The results also suggest that pleasant affect is associated with increased odds that farmers will choose future rewards in the long horizon but had no statistically significant effect on the short horizon. The practical implications are that an experience of pleasant affect before decision-making may cause the decision-maker (DM) to perceive a prospect as having high benefits and low risks. Pleasant affect may also induce lower sensitivity towards losses and play the role of a buffer which reduces the immediate negative impact of information that otherwise would prevent the DM from focusing on the long-term. JEL Classifications: C93, D81, D91

COVID-19 Pandemic—Financial Consequences for Polish Airports—Selected Aspects

The COVID-19 pandemic has reduced the mobility of urban residents on an international level. Tourist air traffic was suspended as one of many activities. As a result, the aviation industry has suffered losses at various levels. In addition to carriers, airports are also suffering due to the effects of the pandemic. Their income comes mainly from charges for take-offs and landings of airplanes, passenger charges, and commercial and restaurant activity. In this paper, the authors attempt to estimate the level of losses incurred by six Polish airports in relation to passenger charges. Based on the data for the years 2015–2019, the forecasts of passenger flows for the year 2020 were estimated using the seasonality indicator method, the method of one-name period trends, and models of linear trends with seasonality. Research has shown that the total losses of the examined airports for the year 2020 amounted to approximately 290 million EUR, and these are losses resulting only from the lack of fees charged for servicing passengers at the airports.

The Connection Between Deception Detection and Financial Exploitation of Older (vs. Young) Adults

Although poor deception detection accuracy is thought to be an important risk factor for fraud among older adults, this link has not been explicitly studied. Using a cross-sectional design, older and young adults viewed and made judgments of real, high-stakes truths and lies with financial consequences. Older (vs. young) adults exhibited a greater truth bias when evaluating individuals pleading for help in finding a missing relative, which was associated with greater donations to deceptive pleaders. However, all participants were highly vulnerable to fraud. Future research should consider both risk and protective factors affecting financial fraud across the lifespan.

Measuring the motivation to avoid duping: scale development and validation

Purpose This paper aims to develop and validate a psychometrically sound scale measuring buyers’ motivation to avoid being duped (MAD) in a marketplace transaction. Design/methodology/approach Standard scale construction methodology was followed in developing the MAD Scale. Eight studies were conducted. Findings Three underlying MAD factors were discovered: suspicion of sellers, anticipated aversive emotions and deception detection. For purposes of analyses, data were collapsed across factors. High MAD individuals exhibited more vigilance in decision-making, were less trusting of strangers and displayed a greater desire to appear perfect to others. Those high in MAD were also more apt to have a prevention regulatory focus. Test-retest reliability was satisfactory, and no social desirability bias was observed. Finally, in an economic game with real financial consequences, those higher (vs lower) in MAD invested less after being duped, thus supporting criterion validity. Originality/value Marketplace deception has been identified as an existential threat facing consumers. Yet, few studies have examined how consumers cope with this threat. There currently exists no scales to measure consumer motivation to avoid being duped. The current research defines MAD and differentiates it from related constructs. The MAD scale will be useful in a variety of research contexts related to marketplace deception.

Liquidity of Non-financial Corporations: Evidence from Bulgaria

The financial and economic crisis years ago put the development of enterprises in Bulgaria and around the world in an uncontrollable environment that is difficult to predict, and led to significant problems with their financial condition. As a result of a rare CoVid-19 pandemic in 2020, the economic situation has become more complicated and portends déjà vu in terms of negative effects on the economy and businesses. The numerous closures of businesses and entire sectors will undoubtedly lead to serious financial consequences related to liquidity problems and excessive indebtedness of Bulgarian enterprises. The main problem that provokes this study is the lack of summarized information on the state of corporate liquidity and the solvency levels of non-financial corporations in Bulgaria. The main purpose of the article is to examine the liquidity status of non-financial corporations in Bulgaria. This analysis is needed to prevent liquidity crises and to bring out early indicators to warn and counter the risks posed by deteriorating solvency. It will be essential for the liquidity assessment to derive average industry values of the indicators to guide the companies from the sectors regarding the recommended liquidity levels to which they should strive.