Attitudes towards attrition among UK trainees in obstetrics and gynaecology

Physician dissatisfaction in the workplace has consequences for patient safety. Currently in the UK, 1 in 5 doctors who enter specialist training in obstetrics and gynaecology leave the programme before completion. Trainee attrition has implications for workforce planning, organization of health-care services and patient care. The authors conducted a survey of current trainees' and former trainees' views concerning attrition and ‘peri-attrition’ – a term coined to describe the trainee who has seriously considered leaving the specialty. The authors identified six key themes which describe trainees' feelings about attrition in obstetrics and gynaecology: morale and undermining; training processes and paperwork; support and supervision; work–life balance and realities of life; NHS environment; and job satisfaction. This article discusses themes of an under-resourced health service, bullying, lack of work–life balance and poor personal support

Analysis of Agricultural Extension Methods Used by Extension Workers for Conflict Resolution among Agro – Pastoralists in Adamawa State, Nigeria

The study was conducted to analyze the agricultural extension methods used in conflict resolution among agro – pastoralists in Adamawa State, Nigeria. A multi – stage random sampling technique was used to select 160 respondents who were administered interview schedules. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (frequencies and percentages) statistics and inferential (multiple regression) statistics. The study indicated that livestock destruction of farmlands was the major (50.63%) source of conflict among the respondents. The results revealed that the major (55.0%) source of conflict resolution among the respondents was community leaders in conflict resolutions. The study showed that truce was the most important type of conflict resolution used by respondents (59.38%). Majority (82.5%) of the respondents preferred face to face extension contact methods used for learning conflict resolution. All the positive significant relationship at 5% levels indicated that, an increase in each of these extension methods is likely to increase in conflict resolutions among agro – pastoralists. The study recommended that extension working environment should be strengthened with motivational mechanism to achieve the desired impact on conflict resolution among agro – pastoralists in the study area. Key words: Sources of conflict, Conflict Resolution and Agro – Pastoralists, Adamawa State, Nigeri

Evaluating the welfare effects of biodiversity on private lands: A choice modelling application

Biodiversity loss is a global problem, especially in reference to private lands. In response, we investigated whether private land biodiversity may be attained by developing incentives which include funding landholders through the provision of native trees to enhance biodiversity on their own properties. Using choice modelling, we tested this hypothesis. A typical respondent was found to be better off, in terms of welfare, if there would be a biodiversity enhancing scheme in their locality. We also found that respondents in the upper northern regions of New Zealand were relatively more receptive in supporting biodiversity enhancement programmes on their properties, compared to those residing in the southern regions of the country

Tying Odysseus to the Mast: Evidence from a Commitment Savings Product in the Philippines

We designed a commitment savings product for a Philippine bank and implemented it using a randomized control methodology. The savings product was intended for individuals who want to commit now to restrict access to their savings, and who were sophisticated enough to engage in such a mechanism. We conducted a baseline survey on 1777 existing or former clients of a bank. One month later, we offered the commitment product to a randomly chosen subset of 710 clients; 202 (28.4 percent) accepted the offer and opened the account. In the baseline survey, we asked hypothetical time discounting questions. Women who exhibited a lower discount rate for future relative to current tradeoffs, and hence potentially have a preference for commitment, were indeed significantly more likely to open the commitment savings account. After twelve months, average savings balances increased by 81 percentage points for those clients assigned to the treatment group relative to those assigned to the control group. We conclude that the savings response represents a lasting change in savings, and not merely a short-term response to a new product.Savings, commitment, hyperbolic preferences, microfinance, development economics, program evaluation, field experiment, self-control

A test of the predictive validity of non-linear QALY models using time trade-off utilities

This paper presents a test of the predictive validity of various classes of QALY models (i.e., linear, power and exponential models). We first estimated TTO utilities for 43 EQ-5D chronic health states and next these states were embedded in health profiles. The chronic TTO utilities were then used to predict the responses to TTO questions with health profiles. We find that the power QALY model clearly outperforms linear and exponential QALY models. Optimal power coefficient is 0.65. Our results suggest that TTO-based QALY calculations may be biased. This bias can be avoided using a power QALY model.Cost-utility analysis, QALYs, power QALY model, predictive validity, time tradeoff, Leex

Do Time Trade-off values fully capture attitudes that are relevant to health related choices?

Previous research has shown that demographics, beliefs and self-reported own health influence TTO values. Our hypothesis is that attitudes towards length and quality of life influence TTO values, but should no longer affect a set of related choices that are based on respondents’ own TTO scores. A representative sample of 1339 respondents was asked their level of agreement to four statements relating to the importance of quality and length of life. Respondents then went on to value 4 EQ-5D 5L states using an online interactive survey and a related set of 6 pairwise health related choice questions, set up so that respondents should be indifferent between choice options. We explored the impact of attitudes using regression analysis for TTO values and a logit model for choices. TTO values were correlated with the attitudes and were found to have a residual impact on the choices. In particular, those respondents who preferred quality of life over length of life gave less weight to the differences in years and more weight to differences in quality of life in these choice. We conclude that although the TTO responses reflect attitudes, these attitudes continue to affect health related choices

Patient Trust and Resistance towards Patient Portals

Health information technologies (HITs) as facilitators of chronic disease self-management remains an ongoing topic for information system researchers. This research addresses a gap in knowledge surrounding patient trust and resistance towards using these technologies, specifically patient portals. The method used to accomplish this study is through the dispersion of a quantitative survey to participants in Ontario, Canada. This survey focused on questions related to the four variables that have been identified through the literature to be important in determining patient resistance of HITs. The results indicate the importance of patient trust in mitigating their resistance to using these technologies

The Analysis of Consumer Preference on Product Attributes of Koeliner Ecoe Taro Chip

  Consumer preference on the attributes of a product can be useful for company, one of them is to predict the appropriate product for consumers. Company can improve and provide a product based on the choice of attributes that are preferred and desired by consumers so that company can to provide product inventory in accordance with consumer choice. Koeliner Ecoe is one of the UMKM can take the advantage of consumer preference to allocate capital according by the consumers in choosing Koeliner Ecoe taro chip product. The purpose of this research is to know the product attributes that are the most preffered and considered by the consumers in choosing Koeliner Ecoe taro chip product in order to assist the company in arranging improvement strategy and product development of Koeliner Ecoe taro chip in the future. The research site is located in Citraland area, West Surabaya. The sample collection uses purposive sampling technique by distributing questionnaire to respondents as many as 90 people. The analysis model in this research uses conjoint analysis with fractional factorial design approach. The results of this research show that product attribute levels of Koeliner Ecoe taro chip that are the most preferred by the consumers is that using standing pouch doff packaging with sticker one-sided (front) packaging design, the preferred price of Rp 7.000, the selected flavor variant is savory salted with slightly red yellow chip color. The order of important of attribute which affects consumer preference in choosing Koeliner Ecoe taro chip based on important value from the highest value to the lowest value is that price, packaging, packaging design, flavor, chip color

Energy Policy Options - from the Perspective of Public Attitudes and Risk Perceptions

In the present study a representative sample (N = 797) of the Swedish population was surveyed, with regard to attitudes related to energy policy issues (e.g., environmental attitudes, risk perceptions, and attitudes towards different energy production systems) and self-reported electricity saving behavior. These factors were considered relevant in a Swedish energy policy context, because of the planned phase-out of nuclear power. Citizens’ attitudes have traditionally been important factors in energy policy-making, especially nuclear policy, and one of the conditions for a successful phase-out is increased levels of electricity savings among households and in industry, in order to compensate for the loss in energy production. Respondents reported positive attitudes to the environment in general and to electricity saving, while the attitudes to nuclear power as an energy production system in Sweden were relatively negative. Perceived risk was an important predictor of these attitudes and it was concluded that it is important to investigate mechanisms behind this variable. The relationship between attitudes towards electricity saving and electricity saving behavior was weak. It is discussed whether the contribution of psychological knowledge in energy conservation campaigns could be to elaborate on people’s willingness to be moral and public-spirited citizens in combination with their pro-environmental attitudes. This work was supported by grants from NUTEK and FRN. Viklund (1999) presented more data from the survey referred to here.energy policy; electricity saving; risk perception; attitudes; behavior