Computer-aided Personal Interviews Research Articles

The Role of Maternal Depression Symptoms and Maternal Attachment in Predicting Exclusive Breastfeeding: A Multisite Prospective Study.

Background: Previous research shows that 61% of children younger than 6 months in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are not exclusively breastfed. Although data on the role of pre- and postnatal depression on breastfeeding exclusivity is mixed, fetomaternal attachment might foster breastfeeding exclusivity. Thus, we tested the potential mediating role of fetomaternal attachment and postnatal depression in the relationship between maternal prenatal depression and exclusive breastfeeding. Materials and Methods: Data were collected as part of a prospective, cross-cultural project, Evidence for Better Lives Study, which enrolled 1208 expectant mothers, in their third trimester of pregnancy across eight sites, from LMICs. Of the whole sample, 1185 women (mean age = 28.32, standard deviation [SD] = 5.77) completed Computer-Aided Personal Interviews on prenatal depressive symptoms, fetomaternal attachment, and socioeconomic status. A total of 1054 women provided follow-up data at 3-6 months after birth, about postnatal depressive symptoms, exclusive breastfeeding, and infant health indicators. Path analysis was used to assess parallel mediation. Results: In the whole sample, the effect of prenatal depression on breastfeeding exclusivity was completely mediated by postnatal depression, whereas fetomaternal attachment did not mediate the relationship. The full mediation effect was replicated individually in Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Conclusions: The study results indicate that prenatal depression symptoms contributed to the development of depressive symptoms after birth, negatively affecting the probability of exclusive breastfeeding. Future research should explore this in early prevention interventions, increasing the chances of healthy child development in LMICs. Considering the mixed results around the sites, it is important to better understand the relationship between maternal depression, fetomaternal attachment and breastfeeding behavior in each site's socio-cultural context.

The use of computer tablets in sociodemographic surveys under unfavorable field conditions – an application in land use and cover change studies in the Amazon

ABSTRACT We describe the use of tablet computers with ESRI Survey123 for data collection in sociodemographic surveys applied to land use and cover change studies. Based on the administration of 716 questionnaires during the expedition carried out in 2022 in 64 rural communities along the Rio Negro River, in the Brazilian Amazon, we evaluate the advantages of computer-aided personal interviewing (CAPI) instead of paper-and-pencil interviewing (PAPI). The results point to reduced research time and costs, including for training, fieldwork supervision, and data processing. The unit cost of the questionnaire was reduced by an estimated 10%. We observed positive impacts on data quality, contact with communities, and dissemination of geocoded results. We conclude that the approach adopted by us was sufficient for the success of the survey, which indicates that CAPI can be used under unfavorable field conditions (lack of electricity and poor internet connection).

Are citizens of Delhi willing to stop using private vehicles for their daily office commute in order to reduce air pollution and related ailments? A protocol for a contingent valuation study

Background: Increased vehicular traffic is associated with higher levels of air and noise pollution which in turn causes high morbidity and mortality. Governments, including Delhi have invested high amounts in setting up and running public transport systems in order to rationalize road usage and limit vehicles on road. This study proposes to assess the willingness of the citizens to give up their private vehicles in favor of public transport and will provide specific policy recommendations.Methods: This study will be conducted in Delhi/NCR along the Delhi metro route. A systematic review and cross-sectional community survey will be carried out to meet the study objectives. Data will be captured through computer aided personal interviews (CAPI) using contingent valuation methods (CVM). This study will provide information on the perceptions and attitudes of commuters towards the current public transport system and the economic value placed by them on private transportation and provide an estimate of the welfare gain associated with it. Specific objective wise outputs have been framed. This will be the first study using contingent valuation methods (CVM) in a similar setting in India.Conclusions: The result will provide an evaluation of the public transport system of Delhi NCR from a user perspective. The willingness to pay values will provide a monetary value to the health benefits arising from shift from private to public modes of transport along with workable models of interventions for policy makers.

Going digital: added value of electronic data collection in 2018 Afghanistan Health Survey

BackgroundThrough a nationally representative household survey in Afghanistan, we conducted an operational study in two relatively secure provinces comparing effectiveness of computer-aided personal interviewing (CAPI) with paper-and-pencil interviewing (PAPI).MethodsIn Panjshir and Parwan provinces, household survey data were collected using paper questionnaires in 15 clusters, and OpenDataKit (ODK) software on electronic tablets in 15 other clusters. Added value was evaluated from three perspectives: efficient implementation, data quality, and acceptability. Efficiency was measured through financial expenditures and time stamped data. Data quality was measured by examining completeness. Acceptability was studied through focus group discussions with survey staff.ResultsSurvey costs were 68% more expensive in CAPI clusters compared to PAPI clusters, due primarily to the upfront one-time investment for survey programming. Enumerators spent significantly less time administering surveys in CAPI cluster households (248 min survey time) compared to PAPI (289 min), for an average savings of 41 min per household (95% CI 25–55). CAPI offered a savings of 87 days for data management over PAPI.Among 49 tracer variables (meaning responses were required from all respondents), small differences were observed between PAPI and CAPI. 2.2% of the cleaned dataset’s tracer data points were missing in CAPI surveys (1216/ 56,073 data points), compared to 3.2% in PAPI surveys (1953/ 60,675 data points). In pre-cleaned datasets, 3.9% of tracer data points were missing in CAPI surveys (2151/ 55,092 data points) compared to 3.2% in PAPI surveys (1924/ 60,113 data points).Enumerators from Panjsher and Parwan preferred CAPI over PAPI due to time savings, user-friendliness, improved data security, and less conspicuity when traveling; however approximately half of enumerators trained from all 34 provinces reported feeling unsafe due to Taliban presence. Community and household respondent skepticism could be resolved by enumerator reassurance. Enumerators shared that in the future, they prefer collecting data using CAPI when possible.ConclusionsCAPI offers clear gains in efficiency over PAPI for data collection and management time, although costs are relatively comparable even without the programming investment. However, serious field staff concerns around Taliban threats and general insecurity mean that CAPI should only be conducted in relatively secure areas.

Profiling Hungarian hypermarket shoppers

PurposeHungarian economy went through substantial changes in the past few decades and hypermarkets gained high popularity among customers, therefore profiling Hungarian hypermarket shoppers is essential to understand their behavior.Design/methodology/approachThe paper investigates the profile of Hungarian hypermarket shoppers based on a wide questionnaire survey. In the presented research, Computer-Aided Personal Interviewing questionnaires were analyzed using multidimensional scaling and k-means clustering.FindingsResults showed that Hungarian hypermarket shoppers regularly plan their shopping but they buy 8–9 items instead of the planned 4–5 items. However, only 25% of respondents reported the use of shopping list and in spite of the wide digital possibilities, they do not use their mobile devices neither for creating shopping list nor for checking coupons online.Originality/valueThis study explores the profile of Hungarian hypermarket shoppers, which may give additional information for the players of the retail environment about the customers' behavior and preferences.

Association between change in sleep duration and posttraumatic stress symptoms in natural disaster victims: the mediating role of resilience

ObjectiveThis study investigated the association between changes in sleep duration after disaster and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and the mediating role of resilience on the association. MethodsData were collected from 2951 Korean adults who were victims of a natural disaster and did not have any mental or medical illnesses before the event. They completed a long-term survey on changes in life for disaster victims using computer-aided personal interviews. Changes in sleep duration before and one month after experiencing a disaster were assessed using a self-reported questionnaire. Resilience levels and PTSD symptoms were measured using the Brief Resilience Scale and the Impact of Event Scale – Revised, respectively, and more than 33 of the IES-R score items were defined as significant PTSD symptoms. Multivariate logistic regression was used to examine the associations between changes in sleep duration and PTSD symptoms. Additionally, mediating studies were conducted to identify the role of resilience on the association. ResultsCompared with participants without significant PTSD symptoms, those with PTSD symptoms were more likely to be older and female (group without significant PTSD symptom: mean age = 56.12 ± 18.70 years, female sex = 49.24%; group with significant PTSD symptoms: mean age = 60.88 ± 15.66 years, female sex = 59.52%). Compared with disaster victims without changes in sleep duration, those who had shorter sleep duration after disaster had a higher risk of significant PTSD symptoms (OR = 2.89, 95% Cl = 2.31–3.62, p < 0.001). In the mediating study, resilience level significantly mediated the relationship between reduced sleep duration and PTSD symptoms (direct effect: β = 0.208, 95% Cl = 0.166–0.250, p < 0.001; indirect effect: β = 0.007, 95% Cl = 0.002–0.011, p < 0.001; total effect: β = 0.215, 95% Cl = 0.173–0.257, p < 0.001). ConclusionThis study revealed that individuals with reduced sleep duration after disaster had a higher risk of PTSD symptoms, while those with increased sleep duration did not. In addition, mediating effects of resilience level on the relationship between reduced sleep duration and significant PTSD symptoms were observed.

The WHO-5 well-being index – validation based on item response theory and the analysis of measurement invariance across 35 countries

The five-item World Health Organization Well-Being Index (WHO-5) is a frequently used brief standard measure in large-scale cross-cultural clinical studies. Despite its frequent use, some psychometric questions remain that concern the choice of an adequate item response theory (IRT) model, the evaluation of reliability at important cutoff points, and most importantly the assessment of measurement invariance across countries. Data from the 6th European Working Condition survey (2015) were used that collected nationally representative samples of employed and self-employed individuals (N = 43,469) via computer-aided personal interviews across 35 European countries. An in-depth IRT analysis was conducted for each country, testing different IRT assumptions (e.g., unidimensionality), comparing different IRT-models, and calculating reliabilities. Furthermore, measurement invariance analysis was conducted with the recently proposed alignment procedure. The graded response model fitted the data best for all countries. Furthermore, IRT assumptions were mostly fulfilled. The WHO-5 showed overall and at critical points high reliability. Measurement invariance analysis revealed metric invariance but discarded scalar invariance across countries. Analysis of the test characteristic curves of the aligned graded response model indicated low levels of differential test functioning at medium levels of the WHO-5, but differential test functioning increased at more extreme levels. The current study has no external criterion (e.g., structured clinical interviews) to assess sensitivity and specificity of the WHO-5 as a depression screening-tool. The WHO-5 is a psychometrically sound measure. However, large-scale cross-cultural studies should employ a latent variable modeling approach that accounts for non-invariant parameters across countries (e.g., alignment).

Health Literacy and Some Socio-Demographic Aspects under One Health Approach in Eastern Tanzania: Connections and Realities

&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Health Literacy significantly contributes towards attaining good health particularly when taken into the context of the interface of humans, animals and the environment&lt;/em&gt;&lt;em&gt;. This cross-sectional study assessed health literacy and its connections to other socio-demographic aspects under One Health Approach in Morogoro municipality and Mvomero districts in Tanzania. A structured questionnaire administered through a Computer Aided Personal Interviewing (CAPI) electronic platform was used to collect data from 240 respondents obtained through a multistage sampling procedure. Health Literacy was assessed using context specific assessment tool. IBM-SPSS v20 and Gretl software were used to analyze data. The results revealed Inadequate&lt;/em&gt;&lt;em&gt; Health Literacy at 36.3%, Moderate Health Literacy at 30.8% and Adequate Health Literacy standing at 32.9%. &lt;/em&gt;&lt;em&gt;There was no association between educational attainment and the level of Health Literacy revealed. Health Literacy was lower among older individuals, with 40.2% of those who had Inadequate&lt;/em&gt;&lt;em&gt; Health Literacy&lt;/em&gt;&lt;em&gt; were from the elderly age category, more females (56.3%) had Inadequate&lt;/em&gt;&lt;em&gt; Health Literacy&lt;/em&gt;&lt;em&gt; than males (43.7%), &lt;/em&gt;&lt;em&gt;Adequate Health Literacy&lt;/em&gt;&lt;em&gt; was observed among married respondents at 65.8% in the category. Health literacy varies across some socio-demographic aspects. It therefore remains imperative that interventions in scale up health literacy by various stakeholders to consider these socio-demographic aspects. &lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

Establishing an Open Probability-Based Mixed-Mode Panel of the General Population in Germany

Various open probability-based panel infrastructures have been established in recent years, allowing researchers to collect high-quality survey data. In this report, we describe the processes and deliverables of setting up the GESIS Panel, the first probability-based mixed-mode panel infrastructure in Germany open for data collection to the academic research community. The reference population for the GESIS Panel is the German-speaking population aged between 18 and 70 years permanently residing in Germany. In 2013, approximately 5,000 panelists had been recruited from a random sample drawn from municipal population registers. We describe the outcomes of the sampling strategy and the multistep recruitment process, involving computer-aided personal interviews conducted at respondents’ homes. Next, we describe the outcomes of the two self-administered survey modes (online and paper-and-pencil) of the GESIS Panel used for the initial profile survey and all subsequent bimonthly data collection waves. Across all stages of setting up the GESIS Panel, we report sample composition discrepancies for key demographic variables between the GESIS Panel and established benchmark surveys. Overall, the findings highlight the usefulness of pursuing a mixed-mode strategy when building a probability-based panel infrastructure in Germany.

An assessment of the relevance of the home neighbourhood for understanding environmental influences on physical activity: how far from home do people roam?

BackgroundThe choice of geographical unit of analysis in studies of the built environment and physical activity has typically been restricted to the home neighbourhood where only a small proportion of physical activity may actually be undertaken. This study aimed to examine the distance from home at which physical activity takes place and how this varies by personal and neighbourhood characteristics.MethodsA cross-sectional, population based study of 195 people in the North West region of England, aged 18 to 91 years, clustered in 60 localities (small geographical areas of ~125 households). Individual socio-demographic data were collected by computer-aided personal interviews and physical activity was characterised by accelerometer and Global Positioning System (GPS) data. The locations of periods of light, moderate and vigorous intensity physical activity (LMVPA) undertaken outdoors were linked to measures of the neighbourhood around the home and distance from home.ResultsSixty per cent of outdoors LMVPA took place outside of the proximal home neighbourhood (800 m buffer). Distances from home where median levels of LMVPA were undertaken varied by gender (p < 0.05), home location, area deprivation, and car ownership (all p < 0.001).ConclusionsObjectively measured physical activity appears to vary appreciably by participant characteristics and home location, although for many settings a large proportion is undertaken outside of the home neighbourhood, suggesting the characterisation of neighbourhoods close to home will fail to properly capture the environmental influences on physical activity.

AF is associated with self-reported syncope and falls in a general population cohort.

syncope is an important, but underestimated clinical problem in older persons. It is often overlooked in clinical practice or mistaken for falls. Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia, but little evidence exists regarding the association between AF, falls and syncope in the general population. cross-sectional analyses within a population sample of people aged 50+, taken from The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing. Ten-minute electrocardiogram recordings (n = 4,885) were analysed to detect AF. Syncope (self-reported faints or blackouts) and falls in the past year, co-morbidities, health measures and medications were gathered through computer-aided personal interviews. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to study associations between AF, falls and syncope. mean age was 62 years (range: 50-91), 54% were female. Prevalence of AF was 3%, increasing to 8% in participants aged 75+. Of participants, 5% (n = 223) reported syncope and 20% (n = 972) reported falls. After adjustment for confounders, AF was significantly associated with faints and blackouts (odds ratio (OR) 2.0 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.0-3.9]). After stratification by age category, we found that this association was strongest and only significant in participants aged 50-64 years (OR 4.4 [1.5-12.6]). Stratified for age group, AF was significantly associated with falls in participants aged 65-74 years (OR 2.0 [1.0-4.1]). adults aged 50+ with self-reported syncope and adults aged 65-74 years with falls are twice as likely to have AF at physical examination. These associations are independent of stroke, cardiovascular and psychotropic drugs and other confounders. Further longitudinal studies are needed to explore this association and potential causality further.

Formal home-care utilisation by older adults in Ireland: evidence from the Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA).

The aim of this study was to provide a population-based estimate of the utilisation of publicly financed formal home care by older adults in Ireland and to identify the principal characteristics of those utilising formal home care. Data were collected through computer-aided personal interviews from a representative sample of community living older adults in Ireland. The interviews were conducted between 2009 and 2011 as part of the first wave of the Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA). The study is cross-sectional in design and limited to participants aged 65years and older (n=3507). Results reveal that 8.2% (95% CI 7.1%-9.3%) of participants utilised publicly financed formal home care in the form of home help and/or personal care. Key determinants of formal home-care utilisation were Instrumental Activity of Daily Living (IADL) difficulty (Adj OR 3.8, 95% CI 2.7-5.3), older age (Adj OR 3.4, 95% CI 2.4-4.8) and living alone (Adj OR 2.6, 95% CI 1.9-3.8). Almost half of those utilising formal care did not self-report an Activity of Daily Living (ADL) difficulty or an IADL difficulty. Government policy aims to reduce the need for long-term residential care by providing formal home care for older adults with low to moderate levels of dependency. This requires an increasing emphasis on personal care provision in the home. No evidence was found in this study to suggest that a shift in emphasis from formal domestic to personal care is taking place in Ireland. The absence of standardised assessment and eligibility criteria are deemed to be barriers to reorientation of the system. From a health services perspective, the current situation is not sustainable into the future and requires a focused policy response.

A Comparison of Tablet-Based and Paper-Based Survey Data Collection in Conservation Projects

There is growing use of household surveys by conservation organizations as they seek to measure the social impacts of conservation initiatives, especially in developing countries. Several recent health-sector studies suggest that computer-aided personal interviewing may be a cheaper and faster alternative to the traditional paper-based interviewing. Here, a comparison of The Nature Conservancy-funded tablet computer-based and paper-based household surveys is presented. Because the tablet and paper surveys were not identical except for the data collection tool, the results are suggestive. In the comparison, the cost per completed interview for the tablet-based survey was 74% less than the paper-based survey average, and the average time per interview question for the tablet-based survey was 46% less than the paper-based survey average. The cost saving came primarily from less need for data cleaning and lower enumerator fees. The time saving came primarily from faster data entry. The results suggest that there may be substantial savings in costs and time when using tablets rather than paper for survey data collection in a developing country.

Community resilience, latent resources and resource scarcity after an earthquake: Is society really three meals away from anarchy?

Immediately after an earthquake event, how long people survive in place using their limited resources is relatively unknown, as is the behavioural response to resource scarcity. Computer-aided personal interviews were conducted with 172 householders to examine how many days people believed they were able to shelter in place without official aid in a simulated earthquake event, taking into account not only the water, food and medicine they had stockpiled, but also the availability of less obvious sources (such as water in the hot water cylinder or food from gardens). Based on recommended daily resource allowances, after a 3-day period without aid, 46 % of people had run out of at least one of these necessary resources and this increased to 90 % of people after 7 days. After a 7-day period without official aid, there is an increase in people's perceived willingness to (1) ask for assistance from neighbours (but a reduction in people's willingness to offer aid to others), (2) commit less socially acceptable acts (such as breaking into an empty house to take food and water) and (3) commit unsafe acts (such as drinking unpurified water). The results are discussed with regard to particular post-disaster social behaviours and how social norms shift as people adapt to survive. Language: en

Period prevalence of self-reported headache in the general population in Germany from 1995–2005 and 2009: results from annual nationwide population-based cross-sectional surveys

BackgroundAlthough primary headache is the most frequent neurological disorder and there is some evidence that the prevalence rates have increased in recent years, no long-term data on the annual prevalence of headache are available for Germany. The objective of the study was therefore to obtain long-term data on the period prevalence of headache in the general population in Germany by means of population-based cross-sectional annual surveys (1995–2005 and 2009).MethodsThese surveys were conducted as face-to-face paper-and-pencil interviews from 1995 through 2004, and from 2005 onwards as computer-aided personal interviews. The reported headaches were self-diagnosed by the interviewees. Per year, approximately 640 trained interviewers interviewed between 10,898 and 12,538 German-speaking individuals aged 14 and older and living in private households in the whole of Germany (response rate: 67.4% and 73.1%, gross samples: 16,026 to 18,176 subjects). A total of more than 146,000 face-to-face interviews were analyzed.ResultsThe one-year headache prevalence remained stable over the entry period, with 58.9% (95%CI 57.7–60.1) to 62.5% (95%CI 61.3–63.7) (p=0.07). Women showed consistently higher prevalence rates than men (females: 67.3 (95%CI 65.7–68.9) to 70.7% (95%CI 69.1–72.3), males: 48.4% (95%CI 46.5–50.3) to 54.3% (95%CI 52.4–56.2)), and both sexes showed a bell-shaped age dependence with peaks in the 30–39 age group. A stable slightly higher prevalence was observed in urban versus rural areas (p<0.0001), and there was also a significant trend towards higher prevalence rates in groups with a monthly household income larger than 3,500 € (p=0.03).ConclusionThe overall headache prevalence remained stable in Germany in the last 15 years.

Body weight dissatisfaction by socioeconomic status among obese, preobese and normal weight women and men: results of the cross-sectional KORA Augsburg S4 population survey

BackgroundBody weight dissatisfaction is an important factor in preventing weight gain and promoting weight loss or maintenance. This study focuses on differences in the rates of body weight dissatisfaction among obese, preobese and normal weight women and men by socioeconomic status within a general adult population in Germany.MethodsData were analyzed from 4186 adults aged 25 to 74 who participated in a cross-sectional, representative population-based health survey (KORA S4, 1999–2001, Augsburg region/Germany). Body mass was measured anthropometrically and indexed following international standards. Among the 2123 women participating in the survey, 40.3% had a normal weight, 34.9% were preobese, and 24.8% were obese (compared to 25.9%, 51.4% and 22.6% among men, respectively). Body weight dissatisfaction, educational level, household income and occupational status were assessed by computer-aided personal interviewing. An index for socioeconomic status was calculated and categorized into quintiles. Multiple logistic regressions were performed to test for differences in the odds of body weight dissatisfaction across socioeconomic strata in normal weight, preobese and obese groups. Body mass index, age, family status, place of residence and health behaviors were adjusted for.ResultsOverall, being dissatisfied with one’s body weight was more prevalent in women (48.3%) than in men (33.2%). In the normal weight group, no significant differences in the odds of being dissatisfied were found across socioeconomic groups among women or men. Among preobese men, compared to the lowest socioeconomic stratum, increased odds of being dissatisfied with one’s body weight were associated with the highest socioeconomic index group (OR = 2.3, 95% CI: 1.4–3.8), middle and high educational level (OR = 1.6, 95% CI: 1.1–2.3, and OR = 1.9, 95% CI: 1.3–3.7), high income (OR = 1.8, 95% CI: 1.2–2.7), and middle and high occupational status (both OR = 1.8, 95% CI: 1.2–2.6). Among preobese women, the odds of being dissatisfied were only significantly elevated in those with a middle educational level (OR = 1.6, 95% CI: 1.1–2.3). Among obese men, elevated odds were found in the highest socioeconomic index group (OR = 3.7, 95% CI: 1.8–7.5) and in those with a high educational level (OR = 2.3, 95% CI: 1.3–4.1), high income (OR = 2.6, 95% CI: 1.4–4.7), and middle and high occupational status (both OR = 2.2, 95% CI: 1.3–3.6). The odds of dissatisfaction among obese women were not associated with socioeconomic status as a whole, but were associated with a high educational level, albeit with a comparatively large confidence interval (OR = 3.6, 95% CI: 1.0–12.8).ConclusionsIn Germany, body weight dissatisfaction is more prevalent among obese and preobese men in high socioeconomic status groups, a pattern not found in women. The exception to this is a greater prevalence of dissatisfaction among obese and preobese women with a high educational level (albeit inconsistently). Moreover, there is a social gradient in body weight dissatisfaction, especially in obese men, which may partly explain why obesity is more prevalent in men with low socioeconomic status. It also suggests that they are a target group for obesity care in which body weight satisfaction is an important topic.

Improving Household Surveys Through Computer-Assisted Data Collection

Data on land use change and socioeconomic dynamics in developing countries are often collected via paper-and-pencil interviewing (PAPI). This article reviews a computer-aided personal interviewing ...

Killing day-old chicks? Public opinion regarding potential alternatives

AbstractThroughout the world, male chicks from layer breeds are killed just after hatching, as they are not profitable as regards the production of meat. The Dutch and European parliaments have insisted on research into possible alternatives to the killing of day-old chicks. In the present study we have investigated Dutch public opinion on the acceptability of these alternatives by means of discussions in so-called focus groups and via a public survey through computer-aided personal interviews (CAPI). To inform the participants about the subject, a film was made to explain the current practice and introduce a number of technological alternatives that would prevent development of male embryos, as well as the possibility of creating a ‘dual-purpose chicken’ that would allow male chicks to be used for meat production. The topics addressed in the study included the willingness of participants to pay a premium for eggs and chicken meat, were it necessary to prevent killing of male chicks. Focus-group discussions showed that many participants were unaware of the current practice of killing male chicks, and were shocked by this practice. However, once informed, the participants seemed able to take various considerations into account and rank the alternatives. The alternatives ‘looking into the fresh egg (to determine sex of the egg and not incubate male eggs)’, and ‘dual-purpose chickens’ scored best out of all the possible alternatives, and higher than maintaining the current practice. ‘Influencing the laying hens such that they produce fewer male eggs’ scored the same as maintaining the current practice. The use of ‘genetic modification to facilitate looking into the fresh egg’ scored only slightly lower than maintaining the current practice. Alternatives whereby developing male embryos die, or are killed, scored lower than maintaining the current practice.

Classifying enterprises on the basis of WWW use: a behavioral approach

PurposeResearch studies have started to appear in recent years about the use of world wide web (WWW) by organizations. In an attempt to shed more light into this issue, this study seeks to take a behavioral approach for classifying enterprises on the basis of WWW use. It aims to address two research questions: Can different organizational profiles reveal as a result of a classification scheme/taxonomy of enterprises based on WWW use? and If such a classification is possible, to what extent are the WWW usage profiles related to specific market, organizational and demographic characteristics?Design/methodology/approachThe sampling frame of the study consisted of the largest 1,250 firms in Greece in terms of sales turnover that had already adopted information and communication technologies. After three follow‐up contacts by telephone, e‐mail and fax the cooperation of 500 companies was secured (40 percent response rate). Data collection was carried out by a professional market research firm by means of computer‐aided personal interviewing (CAPI) system. The research instrument was a structured questionnaire.FindingsFive distinct WWW usage profiles of enterprises were identified, namely “E‐merchants”, “Information seekers”, “E‐purchasers”, “E‐transaction adopters” and “WWW experimentalists”. These profiles are found to be associated with different market, organizational and demographic characteristics.Practical implicationsThis classification scheme can be viewed as a behavioral segmentation exercise based on the application/use criterion that is used for segmenting B2B markets by web service providers. The present classification may also help suppliers of networking infrastructure and e‐business software. E‐commerce policy makers can also benefit from the results of this study. The different types of WWW adopters that have been uncovered in the present study practically map the extent of combined WWW uses by various types of enterprises. Such information is important for future WWW promotions and the design of funding projects to further promote WWW.Originality/valueThe paper's value is considered important because, despite its acknowledged importance, only limited research has been conducted on the commercial use of the WWW, mainly, through examining the use of WWW home pages of various organizations and their effect in marketing. Similarly, despite the fact that various European Union‐sponsored studies are conducted regularly by the National Statistical Offices of the member states and the European E‐Business Market W@tch, these studies limit their analysis to descriptive statistics.

An experimental investigation of post-earthquake travel behaviours: the effects of severity and initial location

A computer-aided personal interviewing survey containing 63 items examining post-earthquake travel behaviours was administered to 802 members of the general public. Earthquake simulation videos modelled a moderate and severe event (6.8 and 7.5, respectively, on the Richter scale) in an office and home setting. Travel movements were recorded over a simulated 48-h period following the earthquake. Geographic Information System (GIS) software was used to obtain trip origins and destinations the routes taken and trip distances. Information seeking was also examined. The results indicate that an event which induces significant travel produces trips that are for a variety of purposes, not just to return home. While individually rational, this behaviour is a form of collective social disorder. Mode choice varied with event severity and distance (walking was preferred up to 3.25 km, then vehicles were preferred). Well-prepared emergency plans reduce the need to travel. The motivation to travel was affected by available information and is discussed as a form of information seeking.