Collection Services Research Articles

Inovasi Aplikasi “Sayang Warga” dalam Meningkatkan Kemudahan Pendataan Warga oleh Kader di Kota Surabaya

A novelty is needed for government administrators and community development to be more effective and efficient. The Surabaya City Government seeks to provide services in managing information accurately. It is necessary to have the role of the community, namely cadres to contribute in conducting survey services for citizen data collection in order to improve the quality of public services in the city of Surabaya. Information from the survey results can be uploaded via the Sayang Warga application. The purpose of this study is to describe the "Sayang Warga" Application Innovation in increasing the ease of citizen data collection by cadres in the city of Surabaya. This study uses qualitative methods with data collection techniques in the form of interviews, observation and documentation. The theory used in this study is the attribute of innovation according to Rogers in Suwarno (2008) which includes Relative Advantage, Compatibility, Complexity, Triability, and Observability. The results of the study show that the application of the Sayang Warga application in the city of Surabaya can be said to make it easier for cadres to carry out the citizen data collection process. The application of this application also provides benefits in making service easier and does not require a long time, only in its implementation there are still some obstacles in the Sayang Warga application making it difficult to access.

Reimagined day care for older people - supporting older people and caregivers to age in place.

There is a widespread view amongst policy makers, as well as some senior managers and commissioners in local authorities, that collective forms of day care for older people are outdated and not aligned with wider policy ambitions. However, there is also growing recognition, amongst advocacy organisations such as Carers UK and Age UK, that many older people and their caregivers would welcome the opportunity to attend collective day care services, as well as growing interest amongst providers of services and older people themselves about the need to transform provision. 
 As health and social care commissioners in England develop Integrated Care Systems, there is potential for reimagined day care for older people to play an important role in delivering person-centred, preventative and place-based care for older people and their caregivers, including enabling older people to live at home for longer as well as addressing wellbeing, loneliness and social isolation. 
 The presentation will outline findings from case studies visited as part of a National Institute for Health Research, School for Social Care Research study exploring the experiences of and aspirations for collective day care in England, from the perspectives of older people, their carers, those who work in or manage services, as well as local stakeholders from the health and care system. For this research, day care is defined as community building-based services that provide care and/or health related services and/or clubs and activities specifically for older people (65+) with care and support needs. 
 Case studies visited included a range of models of day care for older people including day centres for people living with dementia, small-scale day care based in a hosts home, to large-scale preventative provision for older people. The study explored: peoples experiences of attending; impact on wellbeing and health of older people and their caregivers; what an ideal model of day care would look like; experiences of day care through the COVID-19 pandemic; and relationships with local health and community partners. 
 Our findings highlight the role day care can play in providing opportunities for connection and friendship for older people who attend, supporting caregivers to sustain their caring role, and supporting physical and mental wellbeing and health of older people and their caregivers. Highlighting the importance of personal connections, joy and purposeful activity, design of the physical space and connections with local place, the presentation will discuss innovations in practice that may support a ‘reimagining of day care’, ensuring it meets the aspirations of older people and their caregivers, as well as supporting wider policy ambitions including how social care services can contribute to the wider preventative health agenda. 

Awareness, Knowledge and Attitudes of the Brussels and Flemish-Brabant Population towards Paternal Perinatal Depression in Belgium

Introduction: Paternal perinatal depression (PPND) occurs in 10% of fathers, which implies an important burden for families and public health services. A better understanding of the population awareness on the topic is essential to adequately identify and adequately support these cases.
 Objective: This study aims to investigate the awareness, knowledge, and attitudes of the Brussels and Flemish-Brabant population in Belgium towards PPND, using the validated Depression in Dads (DDads) questionnaire.
 Methods: A two-strands descriptive study was conducted in the Brussels’ Capital Region and in the province of Flemish Brabant, Belgium between March-May 2020 and March-May 2021. The sample included 314 adults, aged 18-65 years, Flemish speaking, and living in the previously cited provinces. The DDads Questionnaire was administered online via LimeSurvey© (an encrypted and secured online data collection service) due to the COVID-19 social distancing measures. Data were analysed using IBM SPSS 28.0 SPSS© Statistics for Windows©. Ethical approval was obtained from the Brussels’ University Hospital and the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) committees.
 Results: In the case of respondents, anxiousness was the most frequently cited mental health problem as experienced by men during their partners’ pregnancy (82.4%) and during the postnatal period (68.4%). Although well recognized as mental health issue, and as a general health concern, paternal depression had low recognition by respondents, and it was considered by 37.3% of them as being “normal” during the process of fatherhood. New personality traits such as (withdrawal, avoidance, isolation, indecision, or irritability, amongst others) were regarded as a common symptom of PPND by 64.6% of respondents. When asked about best ways of coping -in the case of paternal depression- non-pharmacological approaches were mostly preferred. In the case of experiencing PPND, the main advice was to ask for support from informal networks (family or friends) whilst professional support from the mental health services was suggested only as a secondary option. Over 70% of respondents believed that paternal depression requires from a specialized treatment though. Only 39.2% of the respondents agreed that all men should be screened for depression symptoms during pregnancy, and 43.0% of participants agreed that those symptoms should also be checked after delivery.
 Conclusion: Attitudes towards PPND appeared to be diverse. PPND and perinatal mental health terms seem to be poorly understood. A clear need to increase awareness concerning men’s mental health during pregnancy (of their partners) and PPND is patent. Better awareness may help fathers in difficulty to be identified earlier, for them to be better attended during this process, and to decrease PPND rates and ultimately improve perinatal mental health. 

Evaluation of Domestic Solid Waste Management in Cai Rang District, Can Tho City, Vietnam

The study was conducted to evaluate the management of domestic solid waste in Cai Rang district, Can Tho city. The study conducted sampling of domestic solid waste from 20 households in four wards Le Binh, Hung Phu, Ba Lang, and Tan Phu within 07 days from March 6 to 12, 2023. At the same time, three groups of subjects including 120 households, 3 Environmental Managers, and 3 employees of Urban Environment Joint Stock Company were interviewed to collect information. The result showed that the average domestic solid waste generation coefficient reached 0.28 kg/person/day, and the amount of domestic solid waste generated can reach about 11,027.3 tons by the end of 2023. Of which, up to 91% of the volume of domestic solid waste was recyclable, including 52% of biodegradable organic waste, and 39% of recyclable waste. As for domestic solid waste management, there was still a limitation in classifying waste at source, this rate only fluctuates between 43.4-86.7%. Besides, the rate of households registered for domestic solid waste collection service had a difference between urban and rural areas, fluctuating from 76.7-96.7%. After being collected, domestic solid waste was transported to the Can Tho household waste incineration plant (EB plant). Meanwhile, the remaining amount of domestic solid waste was treated using unsanitary landfill methods, and thrown into rivers, causing environmental pollution, and public health. Although propaganda activities related to domestic solid waste management were carried out in four wards in Cai Rang district, Can Tho city. However, the level of implementation of these activities was not regular. From that, the study identified a number of difficulties in domestic solid waste management, including solid waste that was not completely classified at source, and garbage collection services that were not organized throughout the area. The district lacked specialized waste collection vehicles after classification, and public propaganda, and education work were limited. This research will help local authorities come up with specific solutions to improve the quality of solid waste management in Cai Rang district, Can Tho city.

Peculiarities of Europeana Metadata as a Set of Information for Describing Digital Cultural Heritage

The relevance of the research. European integration is the main and unchanging foreign policy priority of Ukraine. Further development and deepening of relations between Ukraine and the EU are the main direction of its development. A new stage in the development of EU-Ukraine treaty relations, which began with Ukraine’s accession to the EU candidate status in June 2022, requires further raising awareness of Ukraine’s European integration among all members of society. Libraries can contribute to the formation of objective motivations among the population by understanding the practical benefits of cooperation with the EU. One of the ways of such integration for Ukrainian libraries is to become part of the European library network.
 The purpose of research is to identify the features of Europeana metadata for further digitization of library collections in Ukraine in order to preserve cultural heritage.
 The methodology. To achieve this goal, theoretical and general scientific research methods, such as analysis, synthesis, induction, and deduction, were used. The data visualization method and the method of generalization were used to present the Europeana data models.
 The results. The article defines the types of the Europeana operational model, provides a general overview of the classes defined in the Europeana data model and the process of interaction between Europeana data and wikidata.
 The scientific topicality. The article summarizes previous, primarily foreign, research on the peculiarities of the development of the Europeana funds. The article presents the data models of the Europeana that function to fill the web portal.
 The practical significance. The results of the research are presented in the form of Europeana data models and the definition of Europeana metadata types (descriptive, structural, administrative, markup language).
 The conclusion. The current operating model of Europeana uses the Open Archives Initiative’s Metadata Collection Protocol (OAI-PMH) and the Europeana Data Model (EDM) to import data through Metis, Europeana’s data collection and aggregation service. However, OAI-PMH is an outdated technology that is not web-oriented, resulting in high maintenance costs, especially for smaller institutions. Metadata can be divided into several categories, or types, for different data management purposes. Traditional library cataloging focuses, for example, on the identification and description of resources, but there are obviously other types of metadata that carry valuable information (structural, administrative, markup language).

Current Situation of Municipal Solid Waste Management in the Urban and Peri-urban of Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Currently, the amount of solid waste is increasing in the world, especially in developing countries. Although Solid Waste Management (SWM) involves and collaborates with many stakeholders, management is still flawed. SWM in the urban and suburbs of Phnom Penh has encountered a number of obstacles and challenges. Seeing these problems, the government has decided to reform the solid waste management in Phnom Penh in 2019. After the reform, the provision of waste collection, transportation, and cleaning services in urban and peri-urban has changed significantly, while the urban and peri-urban receive collection services 95% and 80%, respectively. To be more precise one study on the current situation of SWM in urban and peri-urban Phnom Penh was conducted to understand the current situation and to identify challenges of SWM for the urban and the peri-urban in Phnom Penh. Two kinds of data were collected 1) preliminary data was collected from interviewing people in target areas by using structured questionnaires, and 2) secondary data was obtained from existing various sources. 330 respondents were selected with qualitative and quantitative analysis by using SPPS 28.0.1.1 and Microsoft Excel 2019. People use plastic bags instead of bins, triggers, and bags to store the waste.79.5% of the people are willing to pay the collection fee. It was found that the situation of SWM is better, however, the collection time is still blurred. SWM in Phnom Penh has faced four main challenges: financial, road infrastructure, landfill, and people's participation. SWM in urban and peri-urban, still have some problems such as the packaging and storage of the waste. and the problem of scavengers tearing the waste bags makes the garbage clutter.

Peningkatan Pelayanan Pemungutan Pajak Bumi Dan Bangunan Oleh BPKPAD Kabupaten Sukoharjo

Land and Building Tax is a levy that must be paid for the existence of land and buildings that provide benefits and socio-economic status for a person or entity who has rights or receives benefits.Collection of Land and Building Tax is revenue from the taxation sector which is the right of the Regional Government as original regional income and is a source of funds to carry out regional development. Cooperation from all implementing officers and the community must be carried out to support an increase in Original Regional Income, especially Land and Building Tax. This type of research falls into qualitative analysis. Qualitative analysis aims to provide an in-depth explanation of a phenomenon by collecting comprehensive data. To understand and explain the land and building tax collection services at the Sukoharjo Regency Regional Revenue and Asset Financial Management Agency, there are several factors that need attention. The results of the research describing the Land and Building Tax collection services during the research show that land and building tax collection by BPKPAD has been carried out in accordance with the expectations of the local community, namely taxpayers. However, maximum results have not been achieved because there is still one problem. This means that there is no definite date for tax collection by the tax collector. It was also found that there were still obstacles in collecting land and building tax at the Financial Management Agency.

Improving Environmental Sustainability: A Geolocation-Based Mobile Application to Optimize the Recycling Process

Environmental pollution caused by human activities is a global concern, and recycling is an effective strategy to reduce waste and minimize its negative impact on the environment, as these pollutants can have detrimental impact on ecosystems, human health, and the quality of life in general. Recycling avoids the accumulation of waste in landfills, which can contaminate soil, water, and air as well as reducing the production of new products. The objective of this work is to implement a mobile application to improve waste management by recycling companies. The Mobile-D methodology was used for the development of the project because it focuses on optimizing the efficiency and performance of mobile applications since it allows working in 5 phases which are: Exploration, Initialization, Production, Stabilization and Testing. In the first indicator (KPI-1), an improvement in customer retention was observed, with an increase of 114.29% in positive responses in the post-test. In the second indicator (KPI-2), there was a 39.92% decrease in response time, indicating a faster response in the collection service. In the third indicator (KPI-3), a significant increase of 86.86% in the volume of waste for recycling was observed. The results showed improvements in all indicators, indicating a positive impact of the implementation of the mobile application on waste management by the companies in the sector.

GIS-based approach for optimizing biowaste collection services in rural small sized municipalities

Directive (EU) 2018/851 of the European Parliament and of the Council establishes the obligation for Member States to ensure, by 31 December 2023, that biowaste is separated and recycled at source or collected selectively. As this is a responsibility of the municipalities, studies to evaluate the best solutions and to ensure the rationality of the investments to be made to fulfill these objectives is of particular importance. Bearing in mind the new municipality’s responsibility, this article aims to demonstrate the applicability of GIS in supporting planning and decision of a new service provided to the population. The solutions found must be economically sustainable and feasible for small size municipalities, especially for those with no formal biowaste management system implemented and with reduced resources. It is therefore proposed an approach to analyze vehicle route optimization for the selective collection and transportation of biowaste in markedly rural municipalities with a strong forestry component, equating solutions that allow their recovery, as well as the promotion of the management of forest spaces. The Network Analyst extension of the ArcGIS® software was used to answer questions related to travel time route optimization, optimal location selection and definition of service areas. The analysis performed allowed to identify and evaluate the main factors that minimize the costs associated with the undifferentiated and selective collection and transportation of biowaste in the study area (Oleiros-Amieira parish, Portugal). It was determined the need to distribute the service through 3 different routes, as well as optimizing the location of a biomass plant fed by forest remnants deposited in community containers spread across the study area. Developing simpler and cost-effective instruments for reducing waste transport costs for small forest owners and municipalities, such as the proposed one, is essential to ensure a successful implementation of Directive (EU) 2018/851.

Optimization of the routing problem using the physics-based electromagnetism-like algorithm

Waste collection is considered as a first objective in planning a sustainable waste management, and provision of substantial collection coverage in urban and rural areas should be satisfied before investing in more sophisticated infrastructure. Therefore, good waste collection service is essential to upgrade further the next levels of a municipal solid waste system. One of the ways to enhance performance on waste collection is to plan effective routing of trucks. The study formulated a Waste Collection Arc Routing Problem to model the waste collection routing problem of Parang, Marikina City. The study revealed that the EM-like with local search and selection strategy mechanism displayed significant minimization abilities of distance values, and the capacity consideration of truck is important to attain better efficiency and cost savings of route.

UAV-based plant height estimation of maize cultivated using different varieties and sowing spacing

This study aimed at estimating plant height of maize using low-cost unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) based imagery. The experiment was laid out in a factorial arrangement in randomized complete block design. The factors were maize varieties (honampa, ahooden, ahoofe and abontem) and intra-row sowing spacing (20 cm, 30 cm and 40 cm). A constant inter-row spacing of 80 cm was used for all sub-plots. Data (both UAV-based imagery and manual data) were taken 21 days after sowing (DAS) -seedling/establishment stage-, 42 DAS (vegetative stage), 63 DAS (tasseling stage), and 84 DAS (physiological maturity stage). The results showed a high correlation between the UAV-based plant height and manual measurement with R2 (adjust) > 0.92 in all cases. For the intra-row sowing spacing, the 20 cm plant spacing was found to have had the best overall R2 (adjust) of 0.949, showing the strongest regression of UAV with the manual data among the treatments. Also, it was found that the best stage to estimate maize plant height is dependent on the variety being used since the honampa gave the best correlation coefficient (R = 0.85) at the tasseling stage while the ahooden, ahoofe and abontem gave optimum correlation coefficients (R) of 0.70, 0.90 and 0.69 respectively at the vegetative stage. Overall, the study shows potency of using UAV-based imagery for estimating plant height of maize. The findings of the study could be useful to agronomists and smallholder farmers in Ghana and other developing countries regarding the usefulness of the technology for in-field data collection and advisory services.

Modeling political mimetic isomorphism versus economic and quality factors in local government privatizations

AbstractNumerous studies have considered the economic impact and political influence of privatization. However, the theoretical approaches previously applied to model privatization, whether economic or political, have not obtained robust results. To address this question, we present a new political approach, based on mimetic isomorphism, which enables us to more accurately define the relationship between privatization, political theory and economic aspects. This new focus, termed political mimetic isomorphism, hypothesizes that the privatization of public services is influenced by an imitation effect between neighboring municipalities that share a common political ideology. In our study, this approach is applied, using geostatistical tools and logistic regression analysis with spatial variables, to a sample of municipalities that privatized their water and/or waste collection services during the period 2014–2019. The results obtained demonstrate the validity of the theoretical model of political mimetic isomorphism and show that this factor exerts a stronger influence on privatization than certain economic variables.

Management of Electro-Electronic Equipment Waste and its Relationship With Social Vulnerability in the City of Recife-Pe: A Study from the Perspective of Spatial Analysis

Objective: To evaluate the influence of social vulnerability on the management of waste from electrical and electronic equipment considering the distribution of collection points in the city of Recife-PE. Theoretical framework: Not all citizens have access to the WEEE collection service or understand the need for proper disposal. Furthermore, the lack of infrastructure, environmental education and public policies aimed at managing WEEE can make it difficult to implement an efficient and sustainable system for collecting these materials. Method: A spatial analysis was carried out based on the socioeconomic and environmental indicators of the census sectors in the area under study, as well as the location of existing collection points. Results and conclusions: The spatial analysis showed that WEEE collection points are poorly distributed in the city, with the majority in areas of lower social vulnerability. This may affect the effectiveness of WEEE management. Therefore, it is necessary to expand and decentralize collection points, in addition to promoting environmental education and social inclusion to encourage citizen participation in WEEE management in Recife-PE. Research implications: The study is of great relevance, as it indicates how social vulnerability interferes with the management of WEEE. Originality/value: Research reveals that it is possible to use spatial analysis to identify trends in WEEE management. This tool can guide actions by public managers, companies, civil organizations and consumers, encouraging the correct disposal of WEEE in specific collection locations in the city of Recife-PE.

Estimating personal exposures to household air pollution and plastic garbage burning among adolescent girls in Jalapa, Guatemala

Waste collection services are uncommon in rural areas of low-resource countries, causing waste accumulation and subsequent dumping and burning of garbage. Air pollution from household garbage burning, including plastics, has been observed in Jalapa, Guatemala in addition to household air pollution (HAP) from cooking. Adolescent girls often help with these cooking and household tasks, but little is known about their exposures. We characterized 24-h exposures to HAP and household garbage burning in adolescent girls by measuring fine particulate matter (PM2.5), black carbon (BC), urinary biomarkers of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), bisphenol A (BPA), and phthalates. We recruited 60 girls between 13 and 17 years of age who helped with cooking activities and lived with participants of the Household Air Pollution Intervention Network (HAPIN) trial. We recruited n = 30 girls each from the control (wood-burning stove) and intervention (liquefied petroleum gas stove) arms. We also measured real-time kitchen concentrations of BC in 20 homes (33%). PM2.5 and BC were measured in n = 21 control and n = 20 intervention participants. Median concentrations of personal PM2.5 and BC and kitchen BC were lower (p < 0.05) in the intervention arm by 87%, 80%, and 85%, respectively. PAH metabolite concentrations were lower (p < 0.001) for all nine metabolites in intervention (n = 26) compared to control participants (n = 29). Urinary BPA concentrations were 66% higher in participants who reported using cosmetics (p = 0.02), and phthalate concentrations were 63% higher in participants who had reported using hair products during the sample period (p = 0.05). Our results suggest that gas stoves can reduce HAP exposures among adolescents who are not primary cooks at home. Biomarkers of plastic exposure were not associated with intervention status, but some were elevated compared to age- and sex-matched participants of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).

Data Freshness Optimization Under CAA in the UAV-Aided MECN: A Potential Game Perspective

As a promising enabler for edge intelligence, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) have become more and more important in Mobile Edge Computing Networks (MECN), such as communication, computation, collection and control service supply. Although Age of Information (AoI) minimization is indispensable for fresh information collection and computation in the UAV-aided MECN, some attackers can launch attacks to deteriorate the availability of precious channel resources, such as revealed channel access attacks (CAAs). Moreover, recent research has not considered the system's active probability and security issues concurrently, e.g., CAA, in the average AoI minimization process. In this paper, to deal with this problem, we consider an AoI-oriented channel access problem under CAA with a game theory viewpoint. Firstly, to obtain a MECN-based AoI indicator under CAA, the system model with active probability consideration is established. Next, the channel access-based AoI minimization problem is formulated from the viewpoint of the Ordinary Potential Game (OPG). Furthermore, two algorithms called AACSD and DCASD are proposed to determine channel access strategies, by which the Nash Equilibrium (NE) solution of the OPG could be reached. Finally, experiments are conducted under homogeneous and heterogeneous parameter settings, and the simulation results evaluate the correctness and effectiveness of our proposals.

A Road Map for Sustainable Municipal Solid Waste Management In Lagos: Using Scotland As A Case Study Of Best Practice

This paper presents a road map for sustainable Municipal Solid Waste Management (MSWM) in Lagos, using Scotland as a case study of best practice. Lagos status as an industrial and commercial hub of the Nigerian economy, complemented by its rapid population growth and urbanisation, has complicated the problem of achieving sustainable solid waste management, thereby making it a subject of concern in the literature. Various authors have expressed issues with the types of municipal solid waste generated, waste treatments, and barriers to sustainable municipal solid waste management in Lagos. The existing collection service inosho Lagos has been rated inefficient despite the weekly average evacuation exercise, as waste accumulation exceeded the existing storage and collection facilities, resulting in an unclean environment and significant environmental degradation. This study provides a view of waste management practices in Lagos and the lessons Lagos can learnt from Scotland in achieving sustainable municipal solid waste practice. A total of eight interviews were conducted with authorities and experts involved in municipal solid waste in both Lagos and Scotland to gather their experience and opinions in their respective regions and analyse them thematically. The findings from this research highlighted some initiatives directed towards promoting sustainable waste practices in both Lagos and Scotland. These empirical findings were used to propose a framework that could be used to achieve a circular economy in Lagos and identify areas for improvement in Scotland. This would promote the creation of more jobs and a subsequent reduction in carbon emissions and raw material importation in both regions. Future work should involve informer actors in interviews to get a broader view and increase the accuracy of the data collected on MSW practice in Lagos and provide analysis of strategies used and their impact to engage communities and promote behaviour change towards sustainable MSW management practice in Scotland. Keywords: Municipal Solid Waste, Management Practice, Lagos, Scotland. Proceedings Citation Format Olaniyi, T.K. &amp; Ajayi, A.J. Jane (2023): A Road Map for Sustainable Municipal Solid Waste Management In Lagos: Using Scotland As A Case Study Of Best Practice.Proceedings of the 37th iSTEAMS Multidisciplinary Cross-Border Conference. 30th October – 1st November, 2023. Academic City University College, Accra, Ghana. Pp 43-56 dx.doi.org/10.22624/AIMS/ACCRACROSSBORDER2023V2P4

Ambiente construído e sua associação com percepção de saúde em idosos brasileiros: Pesquisa Nacional de Saúde 2013

Abstract The present study aims to investigate the association between the built environment and positive self-rated health among older adults from Brazilian capitals. It is a cross-sectional population-based study, which collected data from the National Health Survey 2013 and the Observatório das Metrópoles. The outcome was a positive self-rated health. The built environment was investigated by the Urban Wellbeing Index (IBEU, in Portuguese). Analyses were performed by multilevel logistic regression (95%CI). Among the 4,643 elderly individuals evaluated in this study, 51.5% reported a positive self-rated health (95%CI: 50.0-52.9). Elderly people living in capitals with higher IBEU terciles were more likely to have a positive self-rated health (OR: 1.42; 95%CI: 1.08-1.86 (T2); OR: 1.78; 95%CI: 1.35-2.33 (T3)). As for the dimensions of the IBEU, the following were associated with the outcome: urban infrastructure (OR: 1.56; 95%CI: 1.13-2.16), urban environmental conditions (OR: 1.49; 95%CI: 1.10-2.04), urban housing conditions (OR: 1.45; 95%CI: 1.05-1.99), and urban collective services (OR: 1.72; 95%CI: 1.30-2.27). A positive association was found between better conditions of the built environment and one’s perception of health, regardless of individual characteristics. Promoting changes in the built environment can be effective in improving health levels, thus favoring healthy aging.

Effects of Outsourcing Support Services on Organizational Performance: The case of Iringa Urban Water Supply and Sanitation Authority (IRUWASA), Tanzania

The purpose of the study was to assess the effects of outsourcing services on organisation performance at Iringa Urban Water Supply and Sanitation Authority (IRUWASA). Specifically, the study was guided by the following objectives: to assess the effect of outsourcing cleaning services on organisational performance, to investigate the effect of outsourced garbage collection services on organisational performance and to assess the effect of outsourced stationery outsourcing services on organisational performance at IRUWASA. The study adopted a cross-sectional research design, where data were collected at one point in time. The targeted population of this study were all employees (48) from IRUWASA. Descriptive statistics and regression analysis were used to analyse data. Major findings from the study showed that cleaning, garbage collection and stationery outsourced services positively impacted IRUWASA performance. The results also revealed that outsourcing resulted in cost savings in all three aspects of cleaning, garbage collection and stationery outsourcing of about Tsh. 12,309,000 (56.89%); 19,520,000 (55%) and 12,309,000 (36.73%) respectively. Results from correlation and multiple linear regression showed the adjusted R2 equals 0.640, implying that the model explains about 64% variations in organisation performance, while all the independent variables were found statistically and positively significant, influencing the dependent variable. The study concludes that outsourcing services improve organisational performance. The study recommends that the government and other institutions discern the potential benefits of outsourcing services in terms of cost-effectiveness, resource allocation, and the optimisation of core functions

Does collective citizen input impact government service provision? Evidence from SeeClickFix requests

AbstractDoes collective citizen input impact government priorities and performance in service provision? As cities increasingly offer interactive issue reporting options through online platforms and mobile apps, I investigate whether comments and follows on requests drive faster issue resolution. I theorize that this input signals issue validity, severity, or scrutiny, assisting city administrators in prioritizing and responding to requests. Leveraging a novel dataset of requests from 100 cities, I find that comments and follows double the probability of request closure and that collaborative requests are resolved up to 5 days faster on average than non‐collaborative requests. By comparing two cities that use the same platform but that differ in the observability of citizen collaboration, I isolate a distinct and significant influence of collective citizen input on government responsiveness. The findings speak to how technological advances enable information‐sharing from citizens that can shape service delivery rules and outcomes.

Healthcare failure mode and effects analysis and cost-minimization analysis of three pharmaceutical services

ObjectiveThe main purpose of this study was to analyze and compare three different medication delivery methods used by the outpatient care unit of a hospital pharmacy, namely health center collection, community pharmacy collection and home delivery. The secondary purpose was to compare the economic cost of those methods for the Spanish health service. MethodA failure mode and effects analysis was carried out to attain the primary objective. For the secondary objective, an in-depth analysis was performed of the economic costs associated with each program using a cost-minimization analysis. ResultsThe failure mode and effects analysis resulted in scores of 184, 170 and 126 points for the health center collection, home delivery and community pharmacy collection programs, respectively. The economic evaluation, for its part, rendered estimated costs of €18,434.52, €11,417.08 and €7,986.52 for home delivery, health center collection and community pharmacy collection services, respectively. ConclusionsThe results of the study indicated that collection at the community pharmacy was the program associated to the lowest risk, most likely due to the crucial role of the pharmacist regarding the custody and preservation of medicines. As regards cost, dispensation at the community pharmacy was also associated with the lowest cost. Nevertheless, this finding was biased by the fact that, given the generous collaboration of pharmaceutical distributors during the COVID-19 pandemic, the cost of transport and delivery to the pharmacy during the study period was zero. Further economic analyses are required to evaluate the costs of community pharmacy delivery and determine their impact on the public health system in cases where transport costs are different from zero.