Drivers Of Acceptance Research Articles

When the Choices We Make Will Affect Others

“Is it my problem if my father-in-law does not want to get vaccinated?”All of us must have encountered scenarios like the above. We have all met individuals who refused or hesitate to get vaccinated for COVID-19. They could be from our family members, our colleagues, our friends, our employees, our neighbors, our school, or communities, from anywhere! We do not need to look far. What will we do? Or how should we approach these situations?For more than a year now, we have been witnessing the unfolding of the roll out of the “biggest” vaccine drives in history. Furthermore, this COVID-19 pandemic challenged every individual to make a personal stand about accepting and even promoting vaccination. This issue of the Acta Medica Philippina includes two contributions that give us different perspectives on the phenomenon called “Vaccine Hesitancy.” Vaccine hesitancy is reluctance or refusal to get vaccinated even with theavailability of vaccines.While vaccine hesitancy is observed across the world, our issue looks specifically at the factors which contribute to the unique experiences in the Southeast Asian region and even more specifically to our country. These discussions will lead to a better understanding of drivers, both barriers and enablers to vaccine acceptance and uptake. This timely sharing of information comes at that crucial period when the vaccine hesitancy rates are high in our country despite efforts of our government to persuade as many individuals as possible to come for their COVID-19 booster vaccines. The World Health Organization (WHO) released guidance for countries and governments on how they can improve the vaccine uptake of their constituents.1 In addition to addressing the need for up-to-date information campaigns, governments and other “actors” who play major roles in the implementation of the vaccination program, especially during the current pandemic, need to listen and attune themselves to the main drivers of vaccine acceptance versus hesitancy. These are: 1) providing an enabling environment, 2) social influences; and 3) motivation.The paper of Hartigan-Go and group shows vaccine hesitancy research and how this information may be used to strategize vaccine education and communication campaigns to increase vaccine uptake.2The invited essay is a discussion on how the traumatic experience we all witnessed in recent national history with another novel vaccine is an important driver negatively affecting behavior toward vaccination campaigns; and how can we move forward from there.3We hope these contributions will help us all appreciate and respect the complexity of behavior related to vaccination, persuade our countrymen towards action that will help us achieve our desired goals for more, and work towards attaining our goal of better health for all.
 Regina P. Berba, MD, MScHospital Infection Control Unit, Philippine General HospitalCollege of Medicine, University of the Philippines Manila
 
 REFERENCES
 1. Behavioural considerations for acceptance and uptake of COVID-19 vaccines: WHO Technical Advisory Group on Behavioural Insights and Sciences for Health, meeting report, 15 October 2020. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2020. License: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO.2. Hartigan-Go KY, Mendoza RU, Ong MMA, Yap JK. COVID-19 Vaccine hesitancy in ASEAN: Insights from a Multi-wave Survey Database from July 2020 to March 2021. Acta Med Philipp. 2023;57(1):10-16.3. Berba RP. Addressing vaccine hesitancy during the COVID-19 pandemic: Learning from the past and moving forward. Acta Med Philipp. 2023;57(1):4-9.

Adoption of video consultations during the COVID-19 pandemic

BackgroundVideo consultations have the potential to play a significant role for the future of healthcare by solving some of the imminently arising healthcare challenges, as pointed by the European Commission in Europe and the National Academy of Medicine in the United States of America. This technology can improve quality, efficiency, and enhance access to healthcare. ObjectiveThe aim of this study is to explore and understand individual video consultations acceptance drivers. MethodsAn extended technology acceptance model was created based on the diffusion of innovation theory (DOI), unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT), health belief model (HBM), and concerns for information privacy framework (CFIP). 346 valid responses were collected through an online questionnaire, and the partial least squares (PLS) modeling approach was used to test the model. ResultsThe model explained 77.6 % (R2) of the variance on intention to use, and 71.4 % (R2) of the variance in attitude. The predictors of intention to use are attitude (beta = 0.504, p-value<0.001), performance expectancy (beta = 0.196, p-value = 0.002), and COVID-19 (beta = 0.151, p-value<0.001). The predictors of attitude are performance expectancy (beta = 0.643, p-value>0.001), effort expectancy (beta = 0.138, p-value = 0.001), and COVID-19 (beta = 0.170, p-value<0.001). ConclusionsThis research model highlights the importance of creating extended acceptance models to capture the specificities of each technology in healthcare. The model created helps to understand the most important drivers of video consultation acceptance, highlighting the importance of the COVID-19 pandemic and perceived health risks.

Did policy lose sight of the wood for the trees? An UTAUT-based partial least squares estimation of farmers acceptance of innovative sustainable land use systems

The ongoing EU-wide public debate on sustainability concerns is increasingly reflected in policy programs at both supranational (e.g. the EU green deal), and national levels (e.g. the German climate protection program of 2030). As part of these programs, measures for improving the ecological sustainability of food production play a central role and require the wider implementation of innovative land use systems. Alley cropping agroforestry systems are one example that could, according to recent scientific literature, make an important contribution to resolving the trade-off between economic and ecological sustainability in sparsely forested EU countries such as Germany. However, even today these systems show limited dissemination in agricultural practice, exposing a lack of knowledge about farmers’ profit and subsidy expectations and their main behavioral acceptance drivers in the current political situation. This study aims to close this gap in two ways. Firstly, it assesses farmers’ expectations of economic benefits from planting alley cropping agroforestry systems, and offsets them against national taxpayers’ willingness to pay an annual tax for these systems. Secondly, it quantifies the influence of psycho-social factors that drive farmers to accept alley cropping agroforestry systems as part of their cultivation program. It does this through the empirical application of a case-specific model based on the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology. Data on farmers’ economic expectations and model constructs were generated during a quantitative survey of 209 farmers in Germany and analyzed using descriptive statistics and partial least squares structural equation modeling technique. The descriptive results demonstrate a general rejection of alley cropping agroforestry systems and a low intention to implement them. Farmers prefer subsidy programs to the sale of wooden components as sources of economic benefit, expecting a yearly support of €512 (∼ 606US$) per hectare. Results from the partial least squares analysis show the positive influence of performance expectancy, attitude, and facilitating conditions on the behavioral intention to use an alley cropping agroforestry system, with the latter exerting a positive influence on the final use behavior. Entrepreneurial planning and intuition appear to influence some of the acceptance factors. The results suggest a wide range of implications for policy makers, advocacy groups, and farmers, proposing a focus on creating favorable conditions and positive attitudes among farmers in order to increase agroforestry dissemination.

Acceptance of Interest-Free Banking among Small and Medium Enterprises: A Structural Equation Model

Interest-free banking in Nigeria is evolving, which is supposed to be solid and ready to compete with conventional commercial banks that have dominated the market for more than a century. SMEs had difficulty in getting the funding they required to grow. The study examines the determinants of SMEs' acceptance of interest-free banking in Nigeria. The study used purposive sampling and adapted a questionnaire to collect data from a sample of 323 SMEs registered with the Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN). A structural equation modelling via analysis of moment structures (SEM-AMOS) was used for data analysis and hypotheses testing. The study found a significant positive relationship between SME owners' religion, financing opportunities and acceptance of interest-free banking. The study also finds a positive but insignificant effect of a service cost on the acceptance of interest-free banking. Knowing the drivers of SMEs' acceptance of interest-free banking could guide banks' marketing strategies to compete with other types of banks in the industry. The study recommends that interest-free banks ensure the provision of products and services that comply with the religion of their existing and potential customers.

Community-based case studies of vaccine hesitancy and the COVID-19 response in South Africa - study protocol

Background: In 2021 the South African government launched a large COVID-19 immunization campaign with the goal of reaching more than 40 million individuals. Nonetheless, certain international largely internet-based surveys at the time showed a significant proportion of vaccine hesitancy in South Africa. This study aims to determine and co-create with local stakeholders a comprehensive understanding of vaccine hesitancy and opportunities to support the promotion of other COVID-19 health-promoting behaviours at community level. Methods: A mixed-methods multiple case-study design; informed by the socio-ecological model of behaviour change. Four socio-economically diverse communities across South Africa will be selected and data collection will take place concurrently through three iterative phases. Phase 1 will provide insights into community experiences of COVID-19 (response) through desktop mapping exercises, observations, in-depth interviews, and focus group discussions (FGDs) designed as expression sessions with local stakeholders. Phase 2 will explore the extent and drivers of community acceptance of COVID-19 vaccines. This phase will comprise a survey based on WHO’s Behavioural and Social Drivers of Vaccination tool as well as further FGDs with community members. Phase 3 will involve cross-case study syntheses and presentation of findings to national role-players. Discussion: This study will provide ground up, locally responsive, and timeous evidence on the factors influencing COVID-19 health-seeking behaviours to inform ongoing management and mitigation of COVID-19 in South Africa. It will also provide insights into the applicability of a novel vaccine hesitancy model in Africa.

Assessing customer passion, commitment, and word-of-mouth intentions in digital assistant usage: The moderating role of technology anxiety

Consumers develop a passion for the use of innovations, which is a critical determinant of their success. Research has largely examined drivers of initial acceptance of digital assistants (DAs) and has yet to fully understand the factors driving or deterring consumers’ passion towards DAs and the behavioural outcomes. Drawing on the stimulus-organism-response framework, this study examines a unique set of factors (usefulness, ease of use, privacy concern, and localisation) that act as stimuli to drive an organismic state of passion for DAs, and how this produces behavioural responses of word-of-mouth (WOM) intention and commitment to DA use. The study also examines how technology anxiety moderates passion’s impact on WOM intentions and commitment. The findings show that usefulness, ease of use, privacy concern, and localisation are significant explanatory variables of consumers’ passion towards DAs. Furthermore, passion towards DAs results in WOM intentions and commitment to its use. The findings further show that passion’s effect on DAs in explaining WOM intentions and commitment is weakened by technology anxiety. Lastly, passion is the mediating mechanism through which usefulness, ease of use, privacy concern, and localisation impact WOM intentions and commitment. The implications of these findings for theory and practice are highlighted.

Consumer Acceptance of Alternative Proteins: A Systematic Review of Current Alternative Protein Sources and Interventions Adapted to Increase Their Acceptability

Conventional meat consumption has triggered an environmental burden along with effects on different disease spectrums according to existing research. The dietary patterns adopted by consumers significantly impact both planetary and individual health. Interventions are needed to support the protein transition. However, there is not yet an overview of interventions towards acceptance of novel proteins available. This systemic review highlights different varieties of alternative proteins and interventions adopted to increase the acceptance of alternative protein sources. Educational intervention, persuasion, training, and modeling approaches are summarized in this review. Furthermore, behavioral models triggering the consumer’s response towards different alternative proteins are also discussed. The systemic review highlights that consumer acceptance varies among different alternative proteins. Food choice motives, familiarity, food neophobia, disgust, and cultural norms are among the various drivers of consumer acceptance. A comparison of these drivers indicates inconsistencies, presenting the need for future research.

Employer impact on COVID-19 vaccine uptake among nursing and social care employees in Austria.

Since becoming available, vaccines against COVID-19 have been a focus of public debate. This is particularly relevant among healthcare and social workers, who interact with vulnerable patients and clients on a daily basis. With employers implementing educational programs and offering incentives to raise vaccine willingness among their staff, it is crucial to understand drivers of vaccine acceptance and hesitancy as well as the impact employers can play on vaccine decision-making. We conducted a cross-sectional study via computer-assisted telephone and web interviews. We recruited from a pool of employees from nursing and social care institutions in Vienna and Lower Austria operated by one healthcare NGO. Variables included in the analysis were socio-demographic attributes, reasons for or against the vaccine, sources of information, opinions of mandatory vaccination, and whether respondents had previously been infected with COVID-19 or knew someone who had. 86.2% of respondents had received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. 13.8% were unvaccinated. Vaccinated respondents' main reason for getting the vaccine was to protect themselves (79.6%) as well as others (74.1%), while non-vaccinated respondents cited a fear of short or long-term side effects (58.8 and 42.4%, respectively) as their primary reason for not getting vaccinated. 72.8% of the unvaccinated said no incentive would make them change their mind, while 17.4% specified abstract concepts or systemic change as effective incentives. Monetary incentives were not seen as a motivator. Unvaccinated respondents were significantly more worried about the future than vaccinated respondents (78.8 vs. 26.3%, p < 0.001). They were also significantly more likely to view their employers' vaccine recommendations as "manipulative" (50.6 vs. 12.4%, p < 0.001), while vaccinated respondents were significantly more likely to view them as "supportive" (68.0 vs. 25.9%, p < 0.001). While employers have the means to mediate public health decision-making by providing information, deciding to become vaccinated is a more complex process including public debate, world views, political influences, and the uptake of information. Employers can act as mediators for public health decision-making, moving policy measures beyond an individualized view of health choices and health literacy toward more structural, systemic, and community-based efforts.

2018 National Beef Flavor Audit: Consumer and Descriptive Sensory Attributes

Beef flavor has been identified as a driver of consumer acceptability; however, little is known about variability of flavor in major United States retail beef cuts. Four beef cuts (chuck roast; top sirloin steaks; top loin steaks; and 80/20 ground beef) were obtained from retail stores (n=30 per cut per city) in Miami, Los Angeles, Portland, New York, and Denver during a 2-mo period in 2018. Production systems or package claims were documented. An expert trained flavor and texture descriptive attribute sensory panel evaluated beef flavors, aromas, and textures (n=10 cuts per city or 50 cuts evaluated). Consumer sensory panels in Fort Collins, CO (n=10 per cut/city), and Lubbock, TX (n=10 per cut/city), evaluated beef for overall liking, overall flavor, beef flavor, grilled flavor, juiciness, and texture liking. Ground beef patties (GB) were more intense (P&amp;lt;0.0001) in brown, fat-like, green hay-like, and sour milk/sour dairy flavor aromatics and salty and sweet basic taste than steak or roast cuts. Additionally, GB had the lowest levels (P&amp;lt;0.0001) of bloody/serumy, metallic, and liver-like flavor aromatics. Chuck roasts had the lowest levels of (P&amp;lt;0.0001) beef flavor identity, brown, and roasted flavor aromatics and salt and umami basic tastes. Top sirloin steaks were lowest (P&amp;lt;0.0001) in fat-like flavor aromatics and most intense (P&amp;lt;0.0001) in burnt, cardboardy, bitter, and sour attributes. Top sirloin steaks and chuck roasts were more intense in metallic and liver-like (P&amp;lt;0.0001) flavor aromatics. Consumers rated chuck roasts lowest for overall, overall flavor, grilled flavor, and juiciness liking (P&amp;lt;0.04). GB and top loin steaks had the highest consumer texture liking (P&amp;lt;0.0002). Beef descriptive flavor and texture attributes were related to consumer liking, and negative flavor aromatic attributes were identified. Variation in beef flavor attributes were reported in retail beef cuts and ground beef that impact consumer liking.

Pecan (Carya illinoinensis) oil consumer hedonic rating, sensory characteristic, satiating and energizing effect, and drivers of overall acceptance

AbstractWith increasing global health and wellness product needs, pecan oil is getting popular in recent years. Although considered a gourmet oil because of its unique sensory and nutritional values, there is no publication focusing on consumer attitude toward pecan oil. This study, for the first time, investigated consumer acceptance, sensory quality, and emotional response to five pecan oils from native and improved varieties, with a comparison to an olive oil. All five pecan oils had positive hedonic ratings (&gt;5, with a 9‐point hedonic scale) for overall acceptance and the acceptance of oil flavor, raw‐nut flavor, and thickness, while the olive oil was rated slightly lower than 5 for these attributes. Pecan oils had higher intensities in raw‐nut flavor, but lower in overall oil flavor, fatty flavor, astringency, and thickness compared to olive oil. Off‐flavor was not perceived in pecan oils, whereas it was perceived in olive oil. The six oils did not show significant differences in satiating effects; however, olive oil was rated lower in energizing effects than pecan oils, which showed a significant variety difference (p ≤ 0.05). Consumer overall acceptance was significantly, positively driven by energizing effects, followed by the acceptability of raw‐nut flavor, thickness, and oil flavor; off‐flavors were negative drivers. Results obtained from this study add direct pecan oil consumer insight: an asset for pecan growers, pecan processing industry, and pecan oil marketers.

Peach for the future: A specialty crop revisited

• Current trends on peach cultivar and rootstock breeding initiatives are highlighted. • Efficient cropping system is linked to appropriate rootstock selection and canopy architecture. • Training system selection is of equal importance with rootstock selection. • High density plantation may result in reduced production cost and enhanced orchard sustainability. • Decision making in the orchard and packinghouse is critical for optimum fruit quality. • Peach industry needs to shift to a systems approach through a re-design of the whole supply chain. Peach is the most important temperate fruit crop worldwide in terms of production after apple. However, a descending trend has been registered over the recent years in several key producing peach countries, mainly due to the increased labor cost and the reduced revenue for the farmer. The present perspective review aims to shed light on the current trends on peach fruit production related to cultivar and rootstock breeding initiatives, appropriate training system selection and targeted integrated management of main diseases, most promptly Monilinia spp. Cultivar breeding programs should focus on the most relevant outcomes about the main drivers of consumer's acceptance. In the near future, a contribution from the breeding sector should be expected in the reduction of the trade-off between quality and yield, towards selection of elite cultivars with enhanced aroma (a pool of compounds still scarcely known), with appreciable nutritional properties and extended market life. Such cultivars need an appropriate rootstock and canopy architecture to facilitate efficient cropping systems. The training/cropping system selection is of equal importance with rootstock selection as it can also determine efficiency and potential for mechanization. A tendency for the future is that several semi- and dwarfing Prunus hybrid rootstocks aligned with the innovations on peach tree architecture will lead to higher planting densities, reduced tree height and thus enhanced peach production with reduced labor cost. With the aim to advance peach fruit production and consumption, there is an urgent need to dissect solutions to valorize on the market the exceptional peach diversity and flavor potential, already present in the varietal landscape. The development of sophisticated non-destructive tools that will allow in cost-effective manner to determine fruit quality and maturity stage is expected to facilitate consumer eating experience and storage requirements with minimum risk of chilling injury symptoms development. Lastly, the phytosanitary protocol of small-sized wall-grown plants would most likely be more effective and would require reduced quantities of pesticides while simultaneously responding to the needs of a market that is increasingly attentive to fruit healthiness and environment protection. Phytosanitary issues can be addressed by controlling diseases and/or by improving genetic resistance.

DRIVERS OF CONTINUANCE INTENTION TO USE THE ONLINE LEARNING PLATFORM AFTER THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

With the start of the COVID-19 pandemic period, the need to continue the educational process imposed the exclusive move to the online environment - a new and insufficiently prepared experience, which generated controversies, but also reflections, and adaptation for teachers, students, decision-makers, and even parents. The major concern of the academic community was related to the quality of the educational process and how the student-centered education paradigm can be introduced in the online environment. The students and teachers of the post-pandemic generation are no longer the same, this period has strongly impacted society, mentalities, and the school's future. Analyzing online education from multiple perspectives, the advantages, and opportunities generated by the integration of ICT in the teaching process are obvious. However, many variables have an impact on the effectiveness of e-learning, and many unanswered questions, yet. This research aims to analyze the key drivers of technology acceptance and the role played by three external variables: content adaptation, facilitating conditions, and ease of access in the context of exclusive online education. For this purpose, an extended technology acceptance model has been conceptualized and tested on a sample of Romanian university students. The results illustrate that content adaptation represents an important predictor of both the perceived ease of use and usefulness. The model explained a lot of variance in the continuance intention which is due to the positive attitude towards using the online learning platform in the future. Keywords: distance education; TAM; COVID-19 pandemic; online learning platform; learning motivation;

“I know how you feel”

Abstract In this article, we aim to evaluate the role of robots’ personality-driven behavioural patterns on users’ intention to use in an entertainment scenario. Toward such a goal, we designed two personalities: one introverted with an empathic and self-comparative interaction style, and the other extroverted with a provocative and other-comparative interaction style. To evaluate the proposed technology acceptance model, we conducted an experiment (N = 209) at a public venue where users were requested to play a game with the support of the TIAGo robot. Our findings show that the robot personality affects the acceptance model and three relevant drivers: perceived enjoyment, perceived usefulness, and social influence. The extroverted robot was perceived as more useful than the introverted, and participants who interacted with it were faster at solving the game. On the other hand, the introverted robot was perceived as more enjoyable but less useful than the extroverted, and participants who interacted with it made fewer mistakes. Taken together, these findings support the importance of designing proper robot personalities in influencing users’ acceptance, featuring that a given style can elicit a different driver of acceptance.

Examining the key drivers of student acceptance of online labs

ABSTRACT As an important tool for STEM education, online labs have gained significant research attention. However, our understanding of online labs is limited by the inattention to the factors that contribute to the acceptance of online labs. This study adopts the UTAUT model to investigate the salient determinants of use of online labs. We test the proposed research model with data from N = 194 students. We find that performance expectancy, effort expectancy, and social influence are positively related to behavioral intention. Behavioral Intention, in turn, is positively related to use. In contrast, the association between facilitating conditions and use is not significant. In terms of the moderating links in the research model, age did not moderate any of the four links (performance expectancy and behavioral intention; effort expectancy and behavioral intention; social influence and behavioral intention; facilitating conditions and use) and gender did not moderate any of the three links (performance expectancy and behavioral intention; effort expectancy and behavioral intention; social influence and behavioral intention). The three variables (performance expectancy, effort expectancy, and social influence) explain 61.4% of variance in behavioral intention. In contrast, the two variables (behavioral intention and facilitating conditions) explain only 15.7% of variance in use. .

Drivers of coffee liking: Effect of physicochemical characteristics and aromatic profile on consumers' acceptability of mono-origin and mono-variety coffees.

Few studies have investigated at the same time how physicochemical, volatile, and sensory characteristics affect coffee liking. The aim of this study is to evaluate the influence of geographical origin and variety on physicochemical parameters and volatile compounds composition of mono-origin and mono-variety coffees. Check-all-that-apply (CATA) method was used with the aim of identifying the drivers of coffee liking. Moisture content, bulk density, solubility index, color parameters, and phenols and caffeine content were useful parameters for discriminating Robusta from Arabica variety, but not samples from different origins. The hierarchical cluster and principal component analyses performed on the headspace compositions showed a quite sharp ability to group the samples based on their variety. Based on CATA results, roasted attribute, related to the presence of pyrazines, was considered a positive driver of coffee liking unlike grassy and acidic attributes (associated to the presence of acids and aldehydes, respectively). Findings from this study can be a useful tool for coffee manufacturers for a winning market strategy, helping them in the choice of the most suitable raw materials and process conditions in order to produce a well-balanced beverage by enhancing all the possible positive drivers of acceptability and reducing the negative ones.

Exploring the Sensory Characteristics of Virginia Ciders through Descriptive Analysis and External Preference Mapping

The cider industry has experienced recent growth within the USA and Virginia in particular. However, the sensory characteristics and drivers of consumer acceptance of ciders are largely uncharacterized. Therefore, this work describes the sensory profiles of commercial Virginia ciders and links these to consumer acceptance. In study 1, a descriptive analysis (DA) of 24 representative ciders from 16 producers in Virginia was conducted: six panelists defined 48 descriptive terms for ciders. In study 2, a consumer acceptance study was conducted on eight ciders from the DA with 67 subjects. For the DA study, 22 descriptors were found to be significant, and multivariate analyses identified six groups. In the consumer study, external preference mapping was conducted to identify three clusters of consumers with distinctive patterns of sensor preference. The largest cluster favored sweet ciders without off-flavors; a second, smaller cluster favored sweetness even in the presence of off-flavors; and the smallest cluster disliked sweetness in ciders and was intolerant of off-flavors. These groups’ demographic and consumption profiles are described. All ciders’ basic chemistry was within previously reported ranges and expected relationships between flavor and chemistry were observed. We were able to establish sensory profiles for Virginia ciders and to tentatively link sensory profiles and consumer acceptance. Overall, this work adds to a small-but-growing body of knowledge about ciders’ sensory properties. Producers can use the sensory profiles in comparison to other regions’ ciders to establish regional sensory profiles and the consumer preference map to understand how to capitalize on their ciders’ distinct profiles.

Where Technology and Content Fuse: Applying Technology Acceptance to the Usage of and Payment for Digital Journalism

This paper investigates drivers of technology acceptance of and payment for digital journalism. Environments in which digital media content and technology are fused from the perspective of the user, have yet to be researched with technology acceptance models. In this paper, we subsume digital journalistic content as such technology and investigate how the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology 2 (UTAUT2) explains the use of journalism. Further, we extend traditional acceptance research by investigating not only usage, but payment intention and behavior. To this end, we refer to a representative survey of the German online population ([Formula: see text]) and estimate effects within the framework of a structural equation model. The results reveal that the traditional model is better suited to explain usage, but can also explain a substantial part of the variance in payment. Above all, price value, hedonic motivation and social influence appear to have the strongest positive effects on intent and behavior. Surprisingly, effort expectancy has a positive influence on paying intent. Managers who engage in content creation should highlight these aspects. The findings further contribute towards a much needed, better understanding of user behavior across technologies.

Are Kenyans Likely to Use COVID-19 Self-Testing Kits? Results From a Cross-Sectional Survey.

Objectives: To understand the public’s perceptions around rapid SARS-CoV-2 antigen self-testing in Kenya, including the drivers of acceptability, willingness to pay, and adherence to hygiene and prevention recommendations following a positive self-test. Methods: A household-based, cross-sectional survey, using a 35-item questionnaire, was conducted in Mombasa and Taita–Taveta counties, Kenya, during August 2021. Individuals aged ≥18 years were enrolled using a stratified sampling approach. Results: There were 419 participants (mean age 35.7 years). A minority (10.5%) had ever tested for SARS-CoV-2. If SARS-CoV-2 self-testing were available, 39.9% and 41.5% would be likely and very likely, respectively, to use it. If unavailable free-of-charge, 63.01% would pay for it. Multivariate analyses suggested that people in rural areas (Coefficient 0.30, 95%CI: 0.11–0.48, p = 0.002), aged 36–55 (Coefficient 0.21, 95%CI: 0.03–0.40, p = 0.023), and employed full time (Coefficient 0.32, 95%CI: 0.06–0.58, p = 0.016) would have more odds to adhere to recommended hygiene and prevention actions. Conclusion: SARS-CoV-2 self-testing was considered acceptable. Availability of self-testing could expand access to COVID-19 testing in Kenya, particularly among rural communities who have limited access to testing, and among mildly symptomatic individuals.

Consumer and Provider Perspectives on Technologies Used Within Aged Care: An Australian Qualitative Needs Assessment Survey.

We undertook a qualitative assessment of aged care technology needs from the perspective of consumers and providers using a cross-sectional survey that assumed a largely open-response format. We recruited a convenience sample of individuals aged 18 years or older, lived in Australia, and self-identified as either an older adult (n = 133), an informal caregiver of an older adult (n = 27), and/or clinician, healthcare practitioner, and aged care provider (n = 148). Survey responses were analyzed using a descriptive qualitative content analysis approach to interpret meaning from written survey responses. We identified seven themes reporting that technologies used in aged care do not appear to be meeting end-user needs. Supporting the Technology Acceptance Model, consumers and providers perceive usefulness of the technology and its actual ease of use as drivers of acceptance toward gerontechnology. Ten recommendations are proposed to support technology use and the quality of aged care.

Socio-Economic Drivers of Community Acceptance of Sustainable Social Housing: Evidence from Mumbai

The impact of socio-cultural outlooks on the acceptance of sustainability measures in a low-income context should be complemented by better understanding of socio-economic drivers to bridge the gaps between policy expectation and acceptance in social housing projects. The study attempts to explore the different aspects of well-being in determining the housing satisfaction of the residents of social housing under the slum rehabilitation schemes in Mumbai. Social housing offers considerably improved social and environmental sustainability components compared to slums; however, social acceptability remains low due to their location disadvantages. Using primary data collection from the sample of 298 households in Mumbai, the paper explores the varying levels of their housing satisfaction. The study found that economic opportunity is low in slum rehabilitation, mostly reflected in the job loss of the second earner, exacerbated by the change of work after shifting to social housing. Among other factors, location, accessibility of the building, household size and opportunity for social engagement play the most critical role in deciding the households’ perceived housing satisfaction with social housing compared to slums.