Access Services Research Articles

Prevalence and predictors of HIV testing among young men in Papua New Guinea: A cross-sectional analysis of a nationally representative sample.

HIV testing is an important component of HIV prevention and serves as a gateway to other HIV-related services. However, the uptake remains suboptimal among young people, particularly in highly prevalent settings such as Papua New Guinea (PNG). This study aimed to assess the prevalence and determine the predictors of HIV testing uptake among young men aged 15-24 years in PNG. The 2016-2018 PNG Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) data was used. A total of 1,275 young men aged 15-24 years were included in the final analysis. Descriptive, bivariate, and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to determine independent predictors of HIV testing. Adjusted odds ratios (AORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were reported. All analyses were adjusted using survey weights to account for unequal sampling probabilities. The overall prevalence of HIV testing among young men was 17.1% (95% CI: 15-19). Of those who were tested for HIV, about one-third (32.9%) had experienced a sexual debut at age <15 years, and 33.9% inconsistently used condoms during sex. In multivariable analysis, men aged 20-24 years (AOR 1.18, 95% CI: 1.00-2.31), who owned mobile phones (AOR 1.43, 95% CI: 1.00-2.55), who were aware that consistent condom use during sex can reduce HIV risk (AOR 2.18, 95% CI: 1.18-4.04), who had paid for sex (AOR 1.75, 95% CI: 1.01-5.83), and who had two or more sexual partners (AOR 1.37, 95% CI: 1.01-3.14) had increased odds of HIV testing. However, decreased odds of HIV testing were found among men who were never married (AOR 0.51, 95% CI: 0.29-0.88), lived in rural areas (AOR 0.54, 95% CI: 0.32-0.92), and consistently used condoms during sex (AOR 0.59, 95% CI: 0.34-1.01). The findings show that HIV testing is low among young men in PNG. To increase HIV testing uptake among young men, it is crucial to implement comprehensive youth-friendly HIV/STI education and tailored sensitization programs and enable more accessible and affordable HIV testing services. Also, outreach and community-based testing programs for young men in rural and prioritized areas requiring urgent prevention interventions are feasible options in PNG.

Shifting Grounds-Facilitating Self-Care in Testing for Sexually Transmitted Infections Through the Use of Self-Test Technology: Qualitative Study.

Chlamydia remains prevalent worldwide and is considered a global public health problem. However, testing rates among young sexually active people remain low. Effective clinical management relies on screening asymptomatic patients. However, attending face-to-face consultations of testing for sexually transmitted infections is associated with stigmatization and anxiety. Self-testing technology (STT) allows patients to test themselves for chlamydia and gonorrhea without the presence of health care professionals. This may result in wider access to testing and increase testing uptake. Therefore, the sexual health clinic at Odense University Hospital has designed and developed a technology that allows patients to get tested at the clinic through self-collected sampling without a face-to-face consultation. This study aimed to (1) pilot-test STT used in clinical practice and (2) investigate the experiences of patients who have completed a self-test for chlamydia and gonorrhea. The study was conducted as a qualitative study inspired by the methodology of participatory design. Ethnographic methods were applied in the feasibility study and the data analyzed were inspired by the action research spiral in iterative processes using steps, such as plan, act, observe, and reflect. The qualitative evaluation study used semistructured interviews and data were analyzed using a qualitative 3-level analytical model. The findings from the feasibility study, such as lack of signposting and adequate information, led to the final modifications of the self-test technology and made it possible to implement it in clinical practice. The qualitative evaluation study found that self-testing was seen as more appealing than testing at a face-to-face consultation because it was an easy solution that both saved time and allowed for the freedom to plan the visit independently. Security was experienced when the instructions balanced between being detail-oriented while also being simple and illustrative. The anonymity and discretion contributed to preserving privacy and removed the fear of an awkward conversation or being judged by health care professionals thus leading to the reduction of intrusive feelings. Accessible health care services are crucial in preventing and reducing the impact of sexually transmitted infections and STT may have the potential to increase testing uptake as it takes into account some of the barriers that exist. The pilot test and evaluation have resulted in a fully functioning implementation of STT in clinical practice.

Suicidal Thoughts and Behaviors Among US Adolescents: The Cumulative Effects of Polysubstance Use Behaviors

Background: The linkage between substance use and youth suicidality is less developed due to the predominant focus on certain types of substances (e.g., alcohol consumption, prescription opioid misuse). This study examines polysubstance use and its mutual impact on suicidal thoughts and behaviors among US adolescents. Methods: Data from 2019 Youth Risk Behavior Survey were utilized. Associations between the concurrent use of five substances (cigarette, e-cigarette, alcohol, marijuana, and prescription opioid) and suicidality (suicidal thoughts, suicide plans, and suicide attempts) were measured by logistic regression models. The combined effect of polysubstance use on suicidality was further assessed by structural equation modeling. Results: About two in five (42.1%) adolescents used at least one type of substances in the past month and one in seven (13.5%) used three or more types concurrently (polysubstance use). Adolescents with polysubstance use behaviors were three to five times more likely to experience suicidal thoughts (OR=3.8, p < 0.05), make a suicide plan (OR=3.5, p < 0.05), or attempt suicide (OR=4.6, p < 0.05) than non-users. In the final structural model, polysubstance use and suicidality were significantly correlated with each other (β=0.37, p < 0.05). Collectively, polysubstance use explained about 14% of variance in youth suicidality. Conclusions: Polysubstance use shows a significant impact on youth suicidality. School-based health centers and educational programs are recommended to reduce substance use and suicidal behaviors among adolescents. Accessible mental health services and targeted treatments are needed for polysubstance users to mitigate their risk of suicide.

Legal Liaison

The Legal Liaison system is an innovative web-based application designed to transform the landscape of legal practice and management. By incorporating essential functionalities for various stakeholders including clients, advocates, law students, junior advocates, and administrative staff, this system significantly enhances the efficiency and effectiveness of legal services. This application facilitates easy interaction and management for users by providing a centralized platform for all legal activities. It supports client engagement, advocate-client communication, case management, and administrative oversight, ensuring a streamlined workflow for legal professionals. Additionally, it promotes the professional development of emerging legal talents through structured mentorship and resource sharing. By leveraging modern technology, the Legal Liaison system aims to simplify complex legal processes, foster better collaboration, and improve resource utilization, ultimately providing a more accessible and efficient legal service environment. This holistic approach ensures that all participants in the legal ecosystem can benefit from enhanced coordination and optimized legal practices The front end of the Legal Liaison system is built using React.js, ensuring a responsive and interactive user experience. The backend employs Express.js and Node.js to create a robust and scalable server-side environment. MongoDB acts as the database, offering flexible and scalable data storage. Combined, these technologies form a seamless and efficient platform for contemporary legal practice

Addressing Challenges of Postsecondary Disability Service Provision: A System-Wide Approach

Over the past 25 years, substantial legal changes, research advances, and rapidly developing technology have resulted in dramatic changes in the postsecondary disability landscape. As a result, disability service professionals have seen their job duties significantly expand while serving a rapidly increasing and diversifying postsecondary population with disabilities. The current study details the relevant developments of the past 25 years, reviews literature documenting emerging challenges, and provides a case study of the system-wide approach developed by the University System of Georgia to support its disability service professionals during this period of rapid evolution. The services and supports provided by the three independent components (i.e., the Regents Centers for Learning Disorders, the Center for Inclusive Design and Innovation, and the Regents' Administrative Committee on Accessibility and Disability Services) are described. In addition, the authors describe how the components work in a collaborative way to leverage the benefits of a multidisciplinary approach. The authors close by describing how system-wide approaches or aspects of the University System of Georgia approach could be adopted in other states and settings.

STAR-RIS aided NOMA Networks: A Signal Enhancement Algorithm

In order to overcome the reflecting-only issue of the conventional reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS), simultaneous-transmitting-and-reflecting reconfigurable intelligent surface (STAR-RIS) stands as a potential solution for providing access services to the users located at the full space. By utilizing the omnidirectional properties of STAR-RIS, non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) users on both sides can be served simultaneously. By making the signal reflected by STAR-RIS coherent superposition with the direct signal, using the Riemannian optimization algorithm (ROA), the proposed signal enhancement algorithm can greatly enhance the signal power of NOMA users, reduce the outage probability, and improve the ergodic rate performance. According to the simulation results, the random phase STAR-RIS can improve the spectral efficiency of 3.6bit/s/Hz compared without STAR-RIS. After using the proposed ROA, the spectral efficiency can be extra increased by 1.8bit/s/Hz, which verifies the superiority of the proposed algorithm.

Accessible Comics for Blind and Low Vision Readers: An Emerging Journey

In Spring 2021, there was an interdisciplinary collaboration comprising two international events. Scholars and artists in comic studies, disability studies, and accessibility services met to explore the intersection of comics making and nonvisual information accessibility. The article showcases lessons shared by event participants and offers ongoing directions for interdisciplinary research and practice. The goal is to promote new approaches to information engagement for publishers, designers, and consumers alike. Points of interest on the journey towards creating accessible comics include considerations for community engagement, equity in design thinking, and seeding collaborations with key stakeholders.

FinTech and its relationship to SMEs financing: a systematic literature review and future research agenda

This paper presents a systematic review of the literature, the state of the art and a future research agenda on the relationship between FinTech and the financing of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Digitalization and technological evolution have transformed access to financial resources, challenging SMEs in obtaining adequate financing. The emergence of FinTech offers new perspectives and opportunities, potentially revolutionizing how SMEs access and use financial services. Against this backdrop, 26 papers were extensively examined to analyze the relationship between the FinTech industry and its relationship with SMEs financing, possibilities, difficulties, and expectations in the current market in different parts of the world. Exploratory Research was found to be the most applied perspective to analyze the relationship between FinTech and SMEs.

Person-centered care for common mental disorders in Ontario’s primary care patient-centered medical homes: a qualitative study of provider perspectives

BackgroundFor more than a decade, the Patient-Centered Medical Home model has been a guiding vision for the modernization of primary care systems. In Canada, Ontario’s Family Health Teams (FHTs) were designed in the mid-2000s with the medical home model in mind. These primary care clinics aim to provide accessible, comprehensive, and person-centered primary care services to communities across Ontario. Their services typically include mental health care for people experiencing common mental disorders, such as depression and anxiety disorders. It remains unclear, however, whether the mental health care delivered within FHTs is consistent with person-centered care approaches. In the current study, we aimed to explore the perspectives of FHT providers on the care delivered to people with common mental disorders to determine whether, and to what extent, they believed this care was person-centered.MethodsWe conducted a qualitative grounded theory study involving interviews with 65 health professionals and administrators from 18 FHTs across Ontario. Transcripts were coded using a three-step process of initial, focused, and axial coding that mixed inductive and deductive approaches informed by sensitizing concepts on person-centeredness.ResultsPractices and challenges associated with the delivery of mental health care in a person-centered way were captured by several themes regrouped into five domains: (1) patient as unique person, (2) patient-provider relationship, (3) sharing power and responsibility, (4) connecting to family and community, and (5) creating person-centered care environments. FHT providers perceived that they delivered person-centered care by delivering mental health care that was responsive, flexible, and consistent with biopsychosocial approaches. They emphasized the importance of creating long-lasting relationships with patients grounded in empathy and trust. Their challenges included being able to ensure continuity of care, adequately prioritizing patients’ mental health issues, and meaningfully engaging patients and families as partners in care.ConclusionsOur findings suggest that FHT providers have adopted a range of person-centered practices for people with common mental disorders. However, greater attention to practices such as shared decision making, supporting self-management, and involving families in care would strengthen person-centeredness and bring teams closer to the Patient-Centered Medical Home vision.

Application of Sharia Principles in Management Risk on Industry Insurance Sharia

With the existence of sharia banking , banks carry out business in a way that complies with Sharia, known as Sharia principles. It consists of exchanging money in accordance with sharia principles while managing risk ( mudharabah ), managing money ( murabahah ), fairness or abundance ( ijarah ), or lending money from one bank to another ( ijarah wa iqtina ) and so on. In its development, institutions outside the banking structure, such as insurance, also participated. Insurance is a non-bank financial institution that operates in the economy outside the banking sector. It is tasked with supporting economic activities by providing investment and financing access services. The unique thing about sharia insurance is that it carries out procedures for all its activities with principles that are in line with sharia, so in all these cases it is also very important to see, measure, control and monitor risks that arise from operational activities. Therefore, the authors' skepticism regarding their hypothesis is whether or not there is an influence of sharia principles on risk management in sharia insurance. This research uses quantitative methods with descriptive statistical analysis . The impact of applying Islamic principles to risk management in the sharia insurance sector is that the application of Islamic principles to risk management in the insurance sector is very beneficial. However, there are parts that need to be limited and clarified as to what kind of disaster we can help with, of course this requires company regulations and customer agreements to be in good and correct accordance.

Improving service accessibility and equity for sustainable development goals without newly facilities by rural settlement reconstruction

Ensuring the provision of accessible, affordable, and high-quality public services to all individuals aligns with one of the paramount aims of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In the face of escalating urbanization and a dwindling rural populace in China, reconstructing rural settlements to enhance public service accessibility has become a fundamental strategy for achieving the SDGs in rural areas. However, few studies have examined the optimal methods for rural settlement reconstruction that ensure accessible and equitable public services while considering multiple existing facilities and service provisions. This paper focuses on rural settlement reconstruction in the context of the SDGs, employing an inverted MCLP-CC (maximal coverage location problem for complementary coverage) model to identify optimal rural settlements and a rank-based method for their relocation. Conducted in Changyuan, a county-level city in Henan Province, China, this study observed significant enhancements in both accessibility and equity following rural settlement reconstruction by utilizing the MH3SFCA (modified Huff 3-step floating catchment area) and the spatial Lorenz curve method. Remarkably, these improvements were achieved without the addition of new facilities, with the accessibility increasing by 44.21%, 4.97%, and 3.11%; Gini coefficients decreasing by 19.53%, 1.64%, and 3.18%; Ricci-Schutz coefficients decreasing by 21.09%, 2.09%, and 4.33% for educational, medical, and cultural and sports facilities, respectively. It indicated that rural settlement reconstruction can bolster the accessibility and equity of public services by leveraging existing facilities. This paper provides a new framework for stakeholders to better reconstruct rural settlements and promote sustainable development in rural areas in China.

Mammography and Breast Ultrasonography Services in Ghana, Availability, and Geographic Access.

Breast cancer is the leading type of cancer diagnosed and the second leading cause of cancer-related death in Ghana. Mammography and ultrasound have proven benefits in the early detection of breast cancer. This study evaluates mammography, breast ultrasound, and radiology work force availability throughout Ghana. A survey was administered to all hospitals in Ghana from November 2020 to October 2021. Mammography, breast ultrasound services, and the number of radiologists were assessed. For mammography, the number performed per month, cost incurred by the patient, where images were read, and how long it took to receive reports were also assessed. Health Facilities Regulatory Authority records on diagnostic centers were obtained to identify additional in-country breast imaging services. Three hundred and twenty-eight of 346 hospitals participated in the survey (95%). Only 21 hospitals reported on-site mammography. One hospital reported performing >100 mammographies per month. The average cost to the patient ranged from 100 to 500 Cedis ($17-87 US dollars [USD]), although three hospitals performed mammography at no cost. An additional 10 mammography machines were identified at diagnostic centers throughout the country, with 41.3% of the female population living within 1 hour of mammography services. There were 135 hospital-based breast ultrasound services identified with 69.5% of the female population living within 1 hour of these services. There were an additional 190 ultrasound machines at diagnostic centers. There were 96 in-country radiologists identified. Although there is limited availability and utilization of mammography in Ghana, there is more readily available ultrasonography. A focus on increasing breast cancer early diagnostic capabilities with breast ultrasound should be prioritized in addition to further expansion of the radiology workforce.

Performance of Cloud Computing Resources Allocations SGLA Model Compared to ARIMA

Solutions for cloud computing are growing in popularity as a means for businesses to streamline operations, save expenses and increase productivity. The benefit of cloud services is that they let customers access on-demand apps and services from a shared pool of programmable computer resources and store data offsite. Cloud computing resource allocation requires sophisticated tools and methodologies for optimal utilization. These problems include load balancing, efficient resource management and compliance with legal and regulatory requirements. The majority of businesses are switching to cloud services and advising their customers to use internet services. However, effective resource allocation is critical for improving performance and lowering costs in this area. Due to unpredictable network traffic in cloud computing, resource allocation is challenging, which causes customers to complain about application timeouts, delayed system times and higher bandwidth use during peak hours. This entails allocating resources to various users and programs, such as memory, processing power, storage, and network bandwidth. In this regard, this study compares the performance ensemble method, which is stepwise Gaussian Linear Autoregressive (SGLA), and the individual method which is autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA). The Matlab tool is used for simulation and evaluation of the results. The results show SGLA prediction accuracy increased to an average of 98.9%, and ARIMA prediction showed an accuracy of 75.5%. In this regard, the ensemble method performed better than individual methods using the same datasets. The study recommends the ensemble method for the prediction and allocation of resources in cloud computing.

A community case detection tool to promote help-seeking for mental health care among children and adolescents in Ugandan refugee settlements: a stepped wedge cluster randomised trial

Strategies to promote mental health care help-seeking among children are needed, especially in low-income and middle-income countries and in complex settings. The aim of this trial was to compare a vignette-based, community-level, proactive case detection tool (CCDT) against standard awareness raising for promoting mental health help-seeking among children and adolescents. This stepped wedge cluster randomised trial was conducted in the Bidi Bidi, Kyaka II, Kyangwali, Omugo, and Rhino refugee settlements in Uganda. Community gatekeepers received a 2-day training session on using the CCDT to proactively detect children with mental health concerns and encourage children (or their caregivers) to use the mental health-care service run by Transcultural Psychosocial Organization Uganda. At baseline, organisations implemented routine detection or mental health awareness-raising activities. At cross-over to CCDT implementation, gatekeepers used the tool in their daily activities. The primary outcome was mental health-care service use by children and adolescents. Child population size estimates at the zone level were not available. Therefore, service use was calculated using total population size. We report the effect of CCDT implementation as an incidence rate ratio (IRR), which we produced from a model that accounts for calendar time, exposure time, and person-time. IRRs were estimated for the analysis of effect over time in the per-protocol and intention-to-treat populations. The trial is registered with the ISRCTN registry, number ISRCTN19056780. 28 administrative zones were selected for trial participation by October, 2021. Between Jan 1, and Nov 8, 2022, seven clusters of four zones sequentially crossed over from routine care to CCDT implementation in 1-month intervals. The CCDT was implemented by 177 trained community gatekeepers. In 9 months, 2385 children visited a mental health-care service; of these, 1118 (47%) were girls and 1267 (53%) were boys (mean age 12·18 years [SD 4.03]). 1998 children made a first or re-entry visit to a service; of these, 937 (47%) were girls and 1061 (53%) were boys (mean age 12·08 years [SD 4·06]). Compared to standard awareness-raising activities, CCDT implementation was associated with an increase in mental health-care service use in the first month after implementation (20·91-fold change [95% CI 12·87-33·99]). Despite a slight decline in service use over time in both the CCDT and pre-CCDT zones, CCDT zones maintained a time-average 16·89-fold increase (95% CI 8·15-34·99) in mental health service use. The CCDT enabled community gatekeepers to increase mental health-care service use by children and adolescents. Vignette-based strategies rooted in the community could become a valuable contribution towards reducing the mental health-care gap among children, especially when accompanied by accessible mental health-care services. Sint Antonius Stichting Projects. For the Arabic, French and Spanish translations of the abstract see Supplementary Materials section.

Analysis of the determinants of service quality in the multimodal public transport system of Bhopal city using structural equation modelling (SEM) and factor analysis

The service quality of multimodal public transport system plays a crucial role in maintaining the overall efficiency and sustainability of urban mobility and the seamless integration of transportation. This study evaluates the determinants of service quality in the multimodal public transport system of Bhopal, India, using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), Factor Analysis, Subgroup Analysis, and Importance-Performance Analysis (IPA). A detailed survey of passengers identified six latent variables: reliability, comfort, safety, accessibility, information, and customer service. SEM analysis revealed significant positive relationships between all six factors and passenger satisfaction, with reliability (β = 0.358, p < 0.001) and comfort having the strongest influence. Subgroup analysis showed variations in the importance of service quality factors among different age groups, genders, and usage frequencies. The IPA grid identified comfort and accessibility as priority areas for improvement. The findings highlight the importance of prioritizing these factors to enhance passenger satisfaction and promote sustainable urban mobility in developing countries. The study provides actionable insights for policymakers and transit authorities to effectively improve service quality and meet passengers’ satisfaction in multimodal public transport systems.

Pengaruh Kualitas Produk dan Kualitas Pelayanan terhadap Kepuasan Konsumen pada Indomaret Cabang Jatirahayu

Indomaret, as one of the largest convenience store chains in Indonesia, has become an important part of the lifestyle of urban communities. The rapid growth in the number of Indomaret outlets spread across various regions has made Indomaret the main destination for consumers looking for practical and easily accessible commodities and services. Research design is a type of research in which researchers design learning materials (such as learning activities and learning trajectories) for a particular topic and also at the same time build a theory about the learning process for that topic. Based on the results of the research that has been carried out, the results show that in the tests carried out on product quality variables, partial influence on purchasing decisions is significant. Based on the results of the t test carried out, it shows that the tcount value is greater than the ttable value, namely 4.392 2.322 with a significance level of 0.025 0.05. research results and discussion as well as hypothesis testing which aims to analyze the influence of product quality and service quality on consumer satisfaction.

When great responsibility comes with limited options: experiences and needs of older community-dwelling adults regarding accessing, understanding, appraising and using health-related information

BackgroundIn previous research, older adults have been associated with reduced levels of health literacy (HL) influenced by a range of contextual factors. To optimise HL, it is essential to better understand the interactions between the ageing process and both personal and environmental factors as perceived by older adults. This study aimed to explore the experiences and needs of older community-dwelling adults when accessing, understanding, appraising and using health-related information.MethodsAn explorative, qualitative design was used within the social constructivism framework. Semi-structured individual interviews were conducted with 20 adults aged 70–96 living at home in three areas in Northern Iceland. The transcribed interviews were constructed into categories and subcategories using qualitative content analysis.Findings.Four categories emerged. “Expectations for responsibility” describes the experience that individuals are responsible for taking care of their health, including accessing, understanding, appraising and using information and services, showing initiative and keeping needed communications active. “A gap between expectancy and ability/context” includes experiences while taking responsibility for expectations not aligning with skills/situations, creating information gaps. “Finding one’s own ways” comprises various adapted ways to access, understand, and use information and services. “Bridging the gap” describes experiences of needing shared responsibility and more manageable options to enable reasoned health-related decisions and navigation in the healthcare system.ConclusionsThe participants valued and took full responsibility for accessing, understanding, appraising and using information and services as part of a social norm; however, they experience information gaps. They request shared responsibility by being provided with fundamental health-related information as a vital step in making reasoned health-related decisions and navigating the healthcare system. They also request more inclusive and accessible service opportunities to bridge the gaps and facilitate HL. It is necessary to critically address, at a systematic level, the conflict between expected individual responsibility and the existence of options to act upon this responsibility. In matters of health, health services and HL, the need to analyse and confront structural disadvantages experienced by older adults is highlighted.

The Role of Housing Policy and Access to Health Services in Reducing Economic Inequality and Improving Welfare in Indonesia

This study investigates the role of housing policy and access to health services in reducing economic inequality and improving welfare in Indonesia. Using a quantitative approach, data were collected from respondents through a structured questionnaire employing a Likert scale. The data were analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling-Partial Least Squares (SEM-PLS 3). The findings reveal that all hypothesized relationships are positive and significant. Specifically, access to health services significantly enhances welfare and reduces economic inequality. Similarly, housing policy significantly improves welfare and reduces economic inequality. These results underscore the critical impact of robust housing policies and accessible health services on achieving greater economic equity and enhanced overall welfare. The study provides essential insights for policymakers to design effective interventions aimed at fostering a more equitable and prosperous society in Indonesia.

A Case Study of Ridership and Equity Implications of All-Day Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority Commuter Rail Service

As the COVID-19 pandemic emerged from the acute phase and vaccines became widely available in 2021, transit agencies like the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) faced a daunting challenge of drawing riders back into their systems. Despite systemwide staffing shortages, service disruptions, and ridership patterns that have yet to return to 2019 levels, ridership on MBTA’s Commuter Rail has consistently outperformed the agency’s other services in the current COVID recovery era. In April 2021, as part of a multiyear vision to overhaul the system, MBTA switched from a schedule focused on serving traditional peak-period commuters to providing steady, all-day service modeled on more legible “clockface” departures. This study used regression analysis to show this change was consistent with the Commuter Rail outperforming other modes in ridership recovery, generating over 7,000 average daily weekday boardings and over 9,000 average weekend boardings. Latent class analysis demonstrated that this schedule shift primarily benefited riders traveling for a variety of purposes, rather than just traditional office work. This group, which we referred to as general riders, was more likely to be low-income (household income below $75,000), young (25 or younger), and Hispanic. This research demonstrated the ability of all-day service on Commuter Rail to serve MBTA’s key aims of increasing ridership and providing more equitable, accessible service.

Promoting financial inclusion for SMEs: Leveraging AI and data analytics in the banking sector

Financial inclusion is crucial for the growth and sustainability of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which are significant contributors to economic development and job creation. However, traditional banking models often fall short in serving the unique needs of SMEs due to perceived high risks and insufficient credit history. Leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) and data analytics, the banking sector can transform its approach to financial inclusion, offering tailored financial products and services that cater specifically to SMEs. AI and data analytics enable banks to analyze vast amounts of data from diverse sources, including transactional histories, social media activity, and market trends. This holistic view of an SME's financial health and business potential allows for more accurate risk assessment and credit scoring. Machine learning algorithms can identify patterns and predict creditworthiness, enabling banks to extend credit to SMEs that may have been overlooked by traditional models. Additionally, AI-driven insights facilitate the development of customized financial products, such as flexible loan terms and dynamic interest rates, that align with the cash flow cycles and operational realities of SMEs. Automated processes and AI-powered chatbots enhance customer service, providing SMEs with timely support and financial advice, thereby improving their banking experience. Data analytics also play a critical role in fraud detection and prevention, ensuring the security of transactions and building trust among SME clients. By continuously monitoring and analyzing transaction data, banks can quickly identify and mitigate fraudulent activities, protecting SMEs from financial losses. Moreover, AI and data analytics support the creation of financial literacy programs tailored to the specific needs of SMEs, empowering business owners with the knowledge and tools to make informed financial decisions. This educational aspect is vital in fostering a sustainable financial ecosystem for SMEs. In conclusion, the integration of AI and data analytics in the banking sector holds significant promise for promoting financial inclusion among SMEs. By providing more accessible, customized, and secure financial services, banks can support the growth and success of SMEs, ultimately contributing to broader economic development and financial stability.