The effects of personal experience on choice-based preferences for wildfire protection programs

2013 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 234 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas P. Holmes ◽  
Armando González-Cabán ◽  
John Loomis ◽  
José Sánchez

In this paper, we investigate homeowner preferences and willingness to pay for wildfire protection programs using a choice experiment with three attributes: risk, loss and cost. Preference heterogeneity among survey respondents was examined using three econometric models and risk preferences were evaluated by comparing willingness to pay for wildfire protection programs against expected monetary losses. The results showed that while nearly all respondents had risk seeking preferences, a small segment of respondents were risk neutral or risk averse. Only respondents who had personal experience with the effects of wildfire consistently made trade-offs among risk, loss and cost and these respondents were willing to pay more for wildfire protection programs than were respondents without prior experience of the effects of wildfire. The degree to which people with prior experience with the effects of wildfire can effectively articulate an economic rationale for investing in wildfire protection to other members of their own or other communities facing the threat of wildfires may influence the overall success of wildfire protection programs.

Water Policy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Md. Nasif Ahsan ◽  
Sheikh Hadiujjaman ◽  
Md. Sariful Islam ◽  
Nishad Nasrin ◽  
Mukta Akter ◽  
...  

Abstract Discontentment with a piped supply system of drinking water has become a significant concern in Bangladesh's urban areas in recent years, necessitating the improvement of different aspects of the system in question. Therefore, by conducting a discrete choice experiment on 115 households out of a systematically selected 161 households, this study aims to estimate the willingness to pay (WTP) for an improved safe drinking water supply by considering the trade-offs made by urban dwellers for the proposed improvements to an existing water supply system in the Khulna City Corporation (KCC) area of Bangladesh. The primary results show that the total WTP of households is estimated at BDT 243.6 (≈US$ 2.87) per month, implying that respondents are ready to pay for improvements to the water supply attributes of water quality, regularity of supply, water pressure in taps, and filtering. A revenue stream for an improved water supply system is also being developed, suggesting that investment in improving the system would be a ‘no-regret’ decision and economically sustainable.


2017 ◽  
Vol 49 (1) ◽  
pp. 45-65 ◽  
Author(s):  
DANIEL R. PETROLIA ◽  
WILLIAM C. WALTON ◽  
LAURIANE YEHOUENOU

AbstractWe administered an online choice experiment to a sample of U.S. raw-oyster consumers to identify factors influencing preferences for Gulf of Mexico oysters, determined the extent of preference heterogeneity, and estimated marginal willingness to pay for specific varieties and other key attributes. Results indicate significant preference heterogeneity among select varieties, with non-Gulf respondents estimated to require a price discount on Gulf oyster varieties on the order of $3–$6/half dozen. Gulf respondents were found to be less sensitive to oyster variety, and estimated to be willing to pay a price premium only for select Gulf varieties on the order of $0–$3/half dozen.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jürgen Meyerhoff ◽  
Katrin Rehdanz ◽  
Andrea Wunsch

<p>Adaptation to climate change is becoming increasingly crucial for coastal areas. This paper adds to the limited evidence on the trade-offs people are willing to make to support decision-making on adaptation strategies for coastal protection. The trade-off between alternative protection modes is conceptualized in a choice experiment in terms of six attributes: the extent of beach nourishment, dyke heightening, cliff protection, access to dunes, realignment of dykes and dunes, and cost in terms of a coastal protection levy. These attributes were selected and designed in, among others, close cooperation with governmental decision makers. When accounting for preference heterogeneity, three latent classes were identified among the more than 1800 participants of a nationwide online survey in Germany. Respondents who prefer extensive changes, respondents who are willing to pay for an increase in dyke height but are not ready to give up money for a change in any other attribute, and respondents who are not willing to cover any additional expenses for coastal adaptation to climate change. The results allow to assess a broad range of future adaptation strategies and thus provide not only to policy makers and the administration in the case study region important insights into peoples’ preferences.</p>


2020 ◽  
Vol 70 (suppl 1) ◽  
pp. bjgp20X711305
Author(s):  
Ilgin Arslan ◽  
Samare Huls ◽  
Esther de Bekker-Grob ◽  
Rianne Rozendaal ◽  
Sita Bierma-Zeinstra ◽  
...  

BackgroundDespite the wide range of treatment options for knee and hip osteoarthritis (KHOA), suboptimal care, low uptake and low adherence to treatment is widely seen. We need to gain insight into preferences for KHOA treatment.AimTo determine patients’, healthcare providers’ and healthcare insurance employees’ preferences for existing health care for KHOA.MethodA survey containing a discrete choice experiment (DCE) was conducted. Patients with KHOA, healthcare providers (orthopaedists and GPs), and insurance employees had to choose scenarios that differed in six attributes: waiting times, out of pocket costs, travel distance, involved healthcare providers during consultation, length of consultation and access to specialist equipment. A (panel latent class) conditional logit model was used to determine the relative importance of the attributes and trade-offs that responders made, and to explore preference heterogeneity.ResultsA total of 648 patients completed the DCE. All six attributes played a significant role in patients’ choices. On average, out of pocket costs were deemed undesirable by patients. A GP with an orthopaedist during the consultation was preferred compared to a GP alone. Healthcare providers (n = 76) and insurance employees (n = 150) showed similar preferences, with respect to out of pockets costs being valued less important. Latent class analysis identified four classes of patients varying in their preferences.ConclusionPatients prefer less out of pocket costs and a GP with an orthopedists during consultation for KHOA care. Four subgroups of patients were identified that vary in preferences for KHOA care. These subgroups could provide opportunities to improve uptake, adherence and effectiveness of KHOA care.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Katy Tobin ◽  
Sinead Maguire ◽  
Bernie Corr ◽  
Charles Normand ◽  
Orla Hardiman ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative condition with a mean life expectancy of 3 years from first symptom. Understanding the factors that are important to both patients and their caregivers has the potential to enhance service delivery and engagement, and improve efficiency. The Discrete Choice Experiment (DCE) is a stated preferences method which asks service users to make trade-offs for various attributes of health services. This method is used to quantify preferences and shows the relative importance of the attributes in the experiment, to the service user. Methods A DCE with nine choice sets was developed to measure the preferences for health services of ALS patients and their caregivers and the relative importance of various aspects of care, such as timing of care, availability of services, and decision making. The DCE was presented to patients with ALS, and their caregivers, recruited from a national multidisciplinary clinic. A random effects probit model was applied to estimate the impact of each attribute on a participant’s choice. Results Patients demonstrated the strongest preferences about timing of receiving information about ALS. A strong preference was also placed on seeing the hospice care team later rather than early on in the illness. Patients also indicated their willingness to consider the use of communication devices. Grouping by stage of disease, patients who were in earlier stages of disease showed a strong preference for receipt of extensive information about ALS at the time of diagnosis. Caregivers showed a strong preference for engagement with healthcare professionals, an attribute that was not prioritised by patients. Conclusions The DCE method can be useful in uncovering priorities of patients and caregivers with ALS. Patients and caregivers have different priorities relating to health services and the provision of care in ALS, and patient preferences differ based on the stage and duration of their illness. Multidisciplinary teams must calibrate the delivery of care in the context of the differing expectations, needs and priorities of the patient/caregiver dyad.


2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ping Liu ◽  
Shimeng Liu ◽  
Tiantian Gong ◽  
Quan Li ◽  
Gang Chen ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Pharmacists are a crucial part of the health workforce and play an important role in achieving universal health coverage. In China, pharmaceutical human resources are in short supply, and the distribution is unequal. This study aimed to identify the key job characteristics that influence the job preferences of undergraduate pharmacy students and to elicit the relative importance of different job characteristics to shed light on future policy interventions. Methods A discrete choice experiment was conducted to assess the job preferences of undergraduate pharmacy students from 6 provinces in mainland China. A face-to-face interview was used to collect data. Conditional logit and mixed logit models were used to analyse data, and the final model was chosen according to the model fit statistics. A series of policy simulations was also conducted. Results In total, 581 respondents completed the questionnaire, and 500 respondents who passed the internal consistency test were analysed. All attributes were statistically significant except for open management. Monthly income and work location were most important to respondents, followed by work unit (which refers to the nature of the workplace) and years to promotion. There was preference heterogeneity among respondents, e.g., male students preferred open management, and female students preferred jobs in public institutions. Furthermore, students with an urban background or from a single-child family placed higher value on a job in the city compared to their counterparts. Conclusion The heterogeneity of attributes showed the complexity of job preferences. Both monetary and nonmonetary job characteristics significantly influenced the job preferences of pharmacy students in China. A more effective policy intervention to attract graduates to work in rural areas should consider both incentives on the job itself and the background of pharmacy school graduates.


BMJ Open ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. e043477
Author(s):  
Mesfin G Genie ◽  
Luis Enrique Loría-Rebolledo ◽  
Shantini Paranjothy ◽  
Daniel Powell ◽  
Mandy Ryan ◽  
...  

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.


2021 ◽  
pp. 108602662199006
Author(s):  
Peter Tashman ◽  
Svetlana Flankova ◽  
Marc van Essen ◽  
Valentina Marano

We meta-analyze research on why firms join voluntary environmental programs (VEPs) to assess the impact of program stringency, or the extent to which they have rigorous, enforceable standards on these decisions. Stringency creates trade-offs for firms by affecting programs’ effectiveness, legitimacy, and adoption costs. Most research considers singular programs and lacks cross program variation needed to analyze program stringency’s impact. Our meta-analysis addresses this by sampling 127 studies and 23 VEPs. We begin by identifying common institutional and resource-based drivers of participation in the literature, and then analyze how program stringency moderates their impacts. Our results suggest that strictly governed VEPs encourage participation among highly visible and profitable firms, and discourage it when informal institutional pressures are higher, and firms have prior experience with other VEPs or quality management standards. We demonstrate that VEP stringency has nuanced effects on firm participation based on the institutional and resource-based factors facing them.


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