29 research outputs found
Evaluating quality of contraceptive counseling: An analysis of the method information index
The Method Information Index (MII) is calculated from contraceptive users\u27 responses to questions regarding counseling content-whether they were informed about methods other than the one they received, told about method-specific side effects, and advised what to do if they experienced side effects. The MII is increasingly reported in national surveys and used to track program performance, but little is known about its properties. Using additional questions, we assessed the consistency between responses and the method received in a prospective, multicountry study. We employed two definitions of consistency: (1) presence of any concordant response, and (2) absence of discordant responses. Consistency was high when asking whether users were informed about other methods and what to do about side effects. Responses were least consistent when asking whether side effects were mentioned. Adjusting for inconsistency, scores were up to 50 percent and 30 percent lower in Pakistan and Uganda, respectively, compared to unadjusted MII scores. Additional questions facilitated better understanding of counseling quality
Urban and river flooding: Comparison of flood risk management approaches in the UK and China and an assessment of future knowledge needs
Increased urbanisation, economic growth, and long-term climate variability have made both the UK and China more susceptible to urban and river flooding, putting people and property at increased risk. This paper presents a review of the current flooding challenges that are affecting the UK and China and the actions that each country is undertaking to tackle these problems. Particular emphases in this paper are laid on (1) learning from previous flooding events in the UK and China, and (2) which management methodologies are commonly used to reduce flood risk. The paper concludes with a strategic research plan suggested by the authors, together with proposed ways to overcome identified knowledge gaps in flood management. Recommendations briefly comprise the engagement of all stakeholders to ensure a proactive approach to land use planning, early warning systems, and water-sensitive urban design or redesign through more effective policy, multi-level flood models, and data driven models of water quantity and quality
Sustainable Consumption Behavior in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Conceptual Framework
This paper develops a conceptual framework for investigating the adoption patterns, inhibitors, and
facilitators ( PIF ) of sustainable consumption in sub-Sahara African ( SSA ) settings. Literature evidence
shows paucity of empirical studies on sustainable consumption from SSA , which partly explains lack
of suitable conceptual framework to guide research in this area. Also, the existing frameworks, which
were developed outside SSA may not be suitable for constructing sustainable consumption behavior
in SSA because of its peculiarities. The key signifi cance of this article is the potential of providing future
researchers in this area with a framework to guide and manage their studies. As a conceptual article,
insight was drawn from a plethora of scholarly articles in the domain of sustainable consumption and
related areas. The framework is built on four key constructs—adoption patterns, inhibitors, facilitators
( PIF ), and intention. As a guide for studies from the SSA , the article includes an empirical section,
which provides preliminary empirical validation for the proposed PIF conceptual framework based on
a pilot test. The result from the pilot study, using structural equation modeling ( SEM ), led to positing the
PIF Sustainable Consumption model, thus giving support for the PIF Conceptual Framework, which
this article puts forward. In addition, the proposed PIF conceptual framework is capable of providing
insight for crafting sustainability-related policies. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc