Food Coupons Research Articles

The Evolution of China’s Food Coupons from the Rise to the Exit of the Historical Stage

After the founding of New China, the food shortage situation remained severe. To ensure the production and supply of grain, food stamps were issued, which kicked off the use of food stamps in the era of planned economy. In developing and evolving, the controlled procurement and distribution system and the food coupon system once faced a crisis when the relationship between the state and farmers showed an “imbalance” anomaly. In this connection, the state made multiple adjustments to the controlled procurement and distribution policy, with an approach focusing on resolving the crisis while adhering to the controlled procurement and distribution system as the main direction of reform.

Combating economic crime in Ukraine in 1946–1949

The author examines the topical and insufficiently researched in historical and legal science issue of the causes and manifestations of economic crime in Ukraine in the first post-war years (1946–1949) and the main aspects of police activity in combating these types of crimes. The departments for combating theft of socialist property and speculation were responsible for combating economic crime. In 1947, the Department for combating the theft of socialist property of the Main Police Department was reorganised into the Administration. Taking advantage of the consumer goods shortage, which reached its peak in the first post-war years (1946–1949), and the circumstances created by the famine of 1946–1947, criminals stole grain, robbed food and industrial warehouses, and resold goods at inflated prices (speculation). The situation with economic crime was particularly difficult in early 1947, when the sowing campaign was underway. The most common crimes were the following: 1) maliciously delaying the repair of agricultural machinery, allegedly due to the lack of spare parts and specialists; 2) theft of grain during its transportation and sowing by persons responsible for this (weighers, field crew leaders, guards); 3) theft of seeds and fuel by security guards; 4) theft and embezzlement of seeds by officials of collective and state farms and subsidiary farms; 5) theft of seed by reducing the seeding rate and theft of fuel due to lack of control over its consumption; 6) theft of seeds by employees of storage facilities with their subsequent resale at markets at speculative prices; 7) creation of surplus seeds by weighing, moistening, writing off for drying, and increasing waste during sorting. The monetary reform in December 1947 and the abolition of the ration card system reduced the overall number of crimes related to the theft of socialist property to a certain extent, as these measures eliminated such crimes as speculation in food and commodity cards and the production of counterfeit cards and food coupons. In order to improve the situation, the Ministry of Internal Affairs demanded that work on the theft of socialist property be intensified on the ground, and that more active agent work be carried out in this area.

How causal machine learning can leverage marketing strategies: Assessing and improving the performance of a coupon campaign.

We apply causal machine learning algorithms to assess the causal effect of a marketing intervention, namely a coupon campaign, on the sales of a retailer. Besides assessing the average impacts of different types of coupons, we also investigate the heterogeneity of causal effects across different subgroups of customers, e.g., between clients with relatively high vs. low prior purchases. Finally, we use optimal policy learning to determine (in a data-driven way) which customer groups should be targeted by the coupon campaign in order to maximize the marketing intervention's effectiveness in terms of sales. We find that only two out of the five coupon categories examined, namely coupons applicable to the product categories of drugstore items and other food, have a statistically significant positive effect on retailer sales. The assessment of group average treatment effects reveals substantial differences in the impact of coupon provision across customer groups, particularly across customer groups as defined by prior purchases at the store, with drugstore coupons being particularly effective among customers with high prior purchases and other food coupons among customers with low prior purchases. Our study provides a use case for the application of causal machine learning in business analytics to evaluate the causal impact of specific firm policies (like marketing campaigns) for decision support.

Perspectives For Using Food Stamps As An Instrument Of Social Support Of The Poor In The Russian Federation

Providing social support to poor citizens is one of the most effective tools for reducing poverty. The article discusses the creation of a system of food assistance to poor citizens as one of the most effective measures of social support aimed at reducing poverty. Various ways of organizing this system are shown, domestic and foreign experience is analyzed, conclusions about its strengths and weaknesses are drawn, practical recommendations are given for organizing a food aid system in the form of a system of specialized food cards (food stamps or coupons) in the Russian Federation at the federal level. The potentiality of stimulating economic growth and supporting national agriculture with through the same program is also considered. The effect of the food cards implementation on poverty reduction has been modeled

Electronic Benefit Transfer and Food Expenditure Cycles

AbstractPrevious research shows that the way transfer income is disbursed can affect what households purchase with that income. In this paper, I provide evidence that disbursement technique can affect the timing of purchases as well. I examine the U.S. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which switched on a state‐by‐state basis from cash‐similar food coupons to Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT)—a secure debit card—from 1993 to 2004. I find that EBT mitigated boom and bust cycles in food spending associated with SNAP disbursement. This effect is entirely driven by households with children (about two thirds of the SNAP population), who experienced more severe cycles prior to EBT. The effect operates only through the intensive margin—the amount spent on food during a shopping trip—and not at all on the extensive margin—the likelihood of going food shopping.

The impact of WIC participation on tobacco use and alcohol consumption

AbstractThe Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program provides food coupons and health benefits to foster in utero and postpartum development of the child. However, due to these benefits, households might reallocate income from food and healthcare services toward other goods. Utilizing data from the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System, this article investigates the effects of participation in the WIC program on cigarette and alcohol consumption. Our results indicate that the program has no effect on prenatal smoking but increases postpartum cigarette consumption per day by 6%. WIC also has preventive benefits as it decreases prenatal alcohol consumption on the extensive and intensive margins.

Abstract MP08: Targeted Healthy Food Incentives Influence Grocery Purchase Quality and Purchase of Targeted Foods: Results From the Randomized Controlled Crossover Smart Cart Study

Introduction: Incentives can increase healthy food purchases, but less is known about whether they improve dietary quality. The Smart Cart Study evaluated whether healthful food incentives based on customer preferences and purchase history increased grocery purchase quality and the proportion of spending on targeted foods. Hypothesis: Targeted incentives will increase grocery purchase quality as measured by the Grocery Purchase Quality Index- 2016 (GPQI) and percent spending on targeted healthful foods. Methods: Adults (n=224) who shopped at an independent supermarket for ≥50% of their groceries, participated in the store’s loyalty program, and completed study questionnaires were enrolled in summer 2018. All participants received a 5% loyalty card discount. The intervention group received targeted weekly coupons (~$10 value) with brief education to improve purchase quality for 13-weeks. A computerized study algorithm allocated targeted healthy food coupons to participants’ loyalty cards by using purchase history, dietary preferences, and diet quality. The control group received weekly brief education and occasional generic coupons. After a brief washout, the groups crossed over. GPQI-16 scores (range 0-75) were calculated from cumulative food purchasing data by comparing actual to recommended spending within 11 food groups, with higher scores reflecting higher purchase quality; % spending on targeted vs. all foods was also compared. Paired t-tests examined differences between groups. Results: Participants with extreme spending (i.e. top/bottom 1%) were excluded, leaving an analytic sample of 207 mostly white adults (95%), with mean age of 56 and 50% with household incomes ≥100K. The Table shows changes in GPQI-16 scores and % spending in the first 13-week intervention period, followed by the cross-over intervention period. Conclusions: Results from this pilot trial suggest that targeted healthy supermarket incentives are feasible and are promising tools to help improve diet quality and health.

Evaluating the effect of individually-targeted food incentives on grocery purchases: The smart cart study protocol for a randomized controlled cross-over trial

Background/AimsHealth stakeholders are interested in the promise of healthy food incentives to improve dietary quality. The Smart Cart Study tested whether targeting healthful food incentives based on customer preferences and purchase history was effective for improving grocery purchase quality. DesignRandomized controlled crossover design of 224 adults who shopped at an independent supermarket for ≥50% of their groceries, participated in the store's loyalty program, and completed validated diet and sociodemographic/behavioral questionnaires. Participants were randomized using 1:1 blocked randomization; all participants received a 5% discount on their purchases with their loyalty card. For the first 13-weeks, the intervention group received individually-targeted weekly coupons (valued up to $10) with brief nutrition education to improve grocery purchase quality. The study team developed healthy food coupons, and the study algorithm allocated targeted coupons to participants' loyalty cards using purchase history, dietary preferences/allergies, and baseline diet quality. Control participants received weekly untargeted nutrition education and occasional generic coupons. Following a 2–4 week washout period, the two groups crossed over. The primary study outcomes were purchases of targeted products and grocery purchase quality measured using the validated Grocery Purchase Quality Index-2016; the study was powered to detect a minimum 3% difference in purchase quality. ConclusionsThe Smart Cart Study tested a novel application of automated individually-targeted marketing using customer purchase history, dietary quality, and preferences to identify and deliver targeted incentives to improve grocery purchase quality. Future research could scale this program through collaboration between multiple stakeholders, including supermarkets, workplace wellness initiatives and insurance companies.

Effectiveness of the Public Distribution System: A Critical Review

Public Distribution System (PDS) started from 1997 for providing essential commodities like rice, wheat, sugar etc. to a large number of people through a network of 5.35 lakh Fair Price Shops (FPS) on a recurring basis at a subsidized price to boost food and nutritional security in India. Whether the PDS is effective to reach targeted people is under serious concern. The problem arises as supply exceeds demand at Minimum Support Price (MSP) of food grains. Over the last 7 years, the average procurement of food grains (rice and wheat) has been around 25 per cent of production. The rising MSP of foodgrains during the last 7 years which enhances the chance of increased subsidy amount given by government resulting increased quantity of food grains procurement and inflation in input prices at constant Central Issue Prices (CIP). Gulati and Saini [1] evaluated under various studies- since 1999-2000 to 2011-12 which narrates about rising leakages of food grains from 9 per cent in 1999-2000 to 36 per cent in 2011-12. In terms of absolute quantity of grains pilfered, of the total quantity of 25.91 MMT pilfered, UP stands at the top with almost 4 MMT (15.3%) pilfered from PDS in 2011-12. There are 39.6 per cent poor having ration cards and 60.4 per cent poor having no cards. There are 26.3 per cent non-poor having ration cards causing inclusion error. The exclusion error is severe as a Type-II error causing 70.5 per cent total in India. There are many loopholes in PDS, leading to ineffectiveness and inefficiency in achieving its objectives. It needs reforms like the transparent selection of beneficiaries, universalization, end to end computerization, more commodities to be included, an effective grievance redressal agency, ADHAAR based PDS, the inclusion of innovative schemes like food coupon, smart card etc. More or less, the innovative mechanism in PDS has to be assessed before implementation to enhance effectiveness and check further error.

Safe Spaces

Safe Spaces

Expectations and Recommendations from Low‐Income Adults Regarding an eLearning Nutrition Education Program Prior to Program Use

This study reports findings from the formative evaluation of a new eLearning nutrition education program, titled Food eTalk, developed for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program‐Education (SNAP‐Ed) eligible adults in Georgia (southeastern USA). A mixed‐methods case study approach was employed to understand feasibility and expectations of Food eTalk from the perspective of members of the priority audience. A purposeful convenience sample of 64 low‐income adult Georgians were recruited for a series of 2 focus groups (n=45) or 3 individual interviews (n=19) (age 39 ± 14 years, 97% female, 34% Black, 11% Latina, 61% SNAP recipients, 80% living with children ≤ 18 years old, 81% reported daily Internet access using their smartphone). We report findings from the first focus groups and individual interviews in these series prior to the participants' exposure to Food eTalk. The moderator guide included questions about: baseline Internet habits, current nutrition education resources, expectations of Food eTalk, and recommendations for content and format. Analysis of the verbatim‐transcribed interviews was guided by an inductive constant‐comparison coding method to construct prominent themes. Three major themes include: 1) concerns of relevance of Food eTalk content, 2) barriers making eating healthfully difficult, and 3) common practices of eLearning on a smartphone. Participants who attended previous eLearning ‘classes’ through job‐training, general educational development (GED) programs, or the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women Infants and Children (WIC) speculated Food eTalk would be: too long, ‘boring’ and content would be a ‘basic review’. Participants ardently discussed a myriad of barriers they face to eating and feeding their family healthfully. They described typical smartphone use for nutrition or health information as ‘really quick’ to answer a specific question. Participants were eager for recipes, ways to make traditional Southern dishes healthier, and information on diabetes and weight loss. Content including solutions to commonly discussed barriers, such as improving diet quality for children who are ‘picky’ eaters, may be well received. Participants suggested unless Food eTalk is mandatory, the best way to engage users would be to offer financial incentives such as food coupons. Because of the nature of mobile device usage (quick, contextual, specific), it is imperative eLearning nutrition education programs employ a format in which content answers particular and timely questions. The findings from this study suggest Food eTalk, a voluntary nutrition education program, include a just‐in‐time format with relevant content as perceived by the priority audience, rather than standard nutrition education messages and formats typically adopted in SNAP‐Ed programs. This study informs the iterative development of Food eTalk, to best serve the nutrition education needs and enhance smartphone‐based program engagement of our priority audience.Support or Funding InformationThis project is funded by USDA SNAP‐Ed and RNECE‐South Innovation Sub Award

Biometrics' new identity--measuring more physical and biological traits: Research into the characteristics that are unique to an individual is addressing the need to correctly identify people in a variety of medical, social and security contexts.

There is no need to remember complex combinations of random numbers and characters. From now on, you are the password: your fingerprint, face, iris, gait or odour—any of your potentially unique attributes—can theoretically be used to identify you. This is the idea behind biometrics, which was once confined to the realm of spy movies and high‐security facilities, but is now increasingly common in everyday security checks at borders, for secure payments and logging in to mobile devices. Beyond security, though, biometrics technology is also driving and enabling other applications that include forensic science, data sharing over networks and reducing identification errors in hospitals. > Biometrics is essentially ready for mass application, as the success of the Indian Aadhaar programme demonstrates. While fingerprints and retina patterns are the most well‐known biometric identifiers, they are not the only characteristics that can be used for biometric identification. Physical traits such as the shape of the face, hand or ear, the vasculature in the finger or DNA—so‐called hard biometrics—as well as behavioural characteristics such as gait, signature, voice and typing patterns can all be used to identify individuals (Fig 1). Another large and rapidly expanding category—which includes characteristics such as skin or eye colour, height, weight and tattoos—is known as “soft biometrics” and provides less distinctive, less categorical information, but has the advantage that such traits can be measured from a distance without cooperation from the subject. Even body odour is being actively explored as a practicable biometric identifier (http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/02/140204073823.htm). Figure 1. Examples of biometric traits. (A) Fingerprints, palm prints, hand vasculature, hand shape and signature. (B) Face, DNA, sclera (on the eyeball), ear shape and typing patterns (keystroke dynamics). (C) Teeth (forensic odontology), gait, voice or speech, iris and retina. Some of these traits—fingerprints, palm prints, face, voice, teeth, ear shape and DNA—are also used in forensics. Reproduced with permission …

Where, When, and how Long: Factors that Influence the Redemption of Mobile Phone Coupons

The use of coupons delivered by mobile phone, so-called “m-coupons,” is growing rapidly. In this study, the authors analyze consumer response to m-coupons for a two-year trial at a large shopping mall. Approximately 8,500 people were recruited to a panel and received three text-message m-coupons whenever they “swiped” their mobile phone at the mall entrances, with downstream redemption recorded. Almost 144,000 m-coupons were delivered during the trial, representing 38 stores that supplied 134 different coupons. The authors find that an important feature of m-coupons is where and when they are delivered, with location and time of delivery significantly influencing redemption. How long the m-coupons are valid (expiry length) is also important because redemption times for m-coupons are much shorter than for traditional coupons. This finding suggests that their expiration length should be shortened to help signal time urgency. Nevertheless, traditional coupon features, such as face value, still dominate m-coupon effectiveness, as does the product type, with snack food coupons being particularly effective.

Spatial Supermarket Redlining and Neighborhood Vulnerability: A Case Study of Hartford, Connecticut.

The disinclination of chain supermarkets to locate or pull out existing stores from impoverished neighborhoods is termed as "supermarket redlining". This paper attempts to map and understand the spatial effects of potential supermarket redlining on food vulnerability in urban disadvantaged neighborhoods of Hartford, Connecticut. Using a combination of statistical and spatial analysis functions, we first, built a Supermarket Redlining Index (SuRI) from five indicators such as sales volume, employee count, accepts food coupons from federally assisted programs, and size and population density of the service area to rank supermarkets in the order of their importance. Second, to understand the effect of redlining, a Supermarket Redlining Impact Model (SuRIM) was built with eleven indicators describing both the socioeconomic and food access vulnerabilities. The interaction of these vulnerabilities would identify the final outcome: neighborhoods where the impact of supermarket redlining would be critical. Results mapped critical areas in the inner-city of Hartford where if a nearby supermarket closes or relocates to a suburb with limited mitigation efforts to gill the grocery gap, a large number of minority, poor, and disadvantaged residents will experience difficulties to access healthy food leading to food insecurity or perhaps a food desert. We also suggest mitigation efforts to reduce the impact of large supermarket closures.

Advertising and fictional media effects on healthy eating choices in early and later childhood.

The influence of advertisements on children’s healthy eating choices continues to be an issue of great concern to policymakers, activists, and parents. However, these influences have not been examined closely from a developmental perspective. The current analysis examines advertising effects on a sample of 304 mainly Hispanic children aged 3 to 12. Using a randomized experimental design, children were exposed to either advertisements or fictional entertainment clips with healthy or unhealthy food options. Children were also randomized to conditions wherein their parents either encouraged them to select healthy options or whatever food options they most wanted. The outcome variable was selection of a food coupon for either a healthy or an unhealthy food choice. Results illustrated developmental trends. Young children (3‐5) were influenced by media clips of food, whether advertisements or fictional. Middle elementary children (6‐8) were influenced mainly by their parents, whereas older children (9) were influenced by neither of these. Results of this experiment help illustrate how advertisements influence children’s eating choices and which age categories of children are most vulnerable.

사용자 선호도를 반영한 FUZZY-AHP 기반 맞춤형 쿠폰 추천 모델

Abstract As social network service becomes common, the consumers use many discount coupons with which they can purchase goods via social commerce. Although, the quantities of coupons offered from social commerce are currently on the sharp increase, customized coupon service that reflects user preference is not offered. This paper proposes a coupon service method reflecting user’s subjective inclination targeting food coupons to offer customized coupon service for social commerce. Towards this end, this paper conducts hierarchization of the factors that become standard in selecting coupons including food types, food prices, discount rates and the number of buyers. And then, this study classifies, extracts and offers the coupons using Fuzzy-AHP, a decision making support method that reflects subjective inclination. From the user satisfaction results on the extracted coupons, the users are generally satisfied: very satisfactory with 45%, satisfactory with 33% and fair with 22%, and there was no experiment participant, who was dissatisfied.

Commercialism in US Elementary and Secondary School Nutrition Environments

Schools present highly desirable marketing environments for food and beverage companies. However, most marketed items are nutritionally poor. To examine national trends in student exposure to selected school-based commercialism measures from 2007 through 2012. Annual nationally representative cross-sectional studies were evaluated in US public elementary, middle, and high schools with use of a survey of school administrators. School-based commercialism, including exclusive beverage contracts and associated incentives, profits, and advertising; corporate food vending and associated incentives and profits; posters/advertisements for soft drinks, fast food, or candy; use of food coupons as incentives; event sponsorships; and fast food available to students. Changes over time in school-based commercialism as well as differences by student body racial/ethnic distribution and socioeconomic status. Although some commercialism measures-especially those related to beverage vending-have shown significant decreases over time, most students at all academic levels continued to attend schools with one or more types of school-based commercialism in 2012. Overall, exposure to school-based commercialism increased significantly with grade level. For 63.7% of elementary school students, the most frequent type of commercialism was food coupons used as incentives. For secondary students, the type of commercialism most prevalent in schools was exclusive beverage contracts, which were in place in schools attended by 49.5% of middle school students and 69.8% of high school students. Exposure to elementary school coupons, as well as middle and high school exclusive beverage contracts, was significantly more likely for students attending schools with mid or low (vs high) student body socioeconomic status. Most US elementary, middle, and high school students attend schools where they are exposed to commercial efforts aimed at obtaining food or beverage sales or developing brand recognition and loyalty for future sales. Although there have been significant decreases over time in many of the measures examined, the continuing high prevalence of school-based commercialism calls for, at minimum, clear and enforceable standards on the nutritional content of all foods and beverages marketed to youth in school settings.

Food and Beverage Marketing in Schools

Children and adolescents in the United States consume too many calories, including empty calories from foods and beverages high in sugar and saturated fat, placing themat risk for obesity and obesity-related diseases including type 2 diabetesmellitus, hypertension, and cancer.1-3 Yet food companies continue to directly target young people with marketing for products that contribute to poor health. They spend$1.8 billion annually in youth-targetedmarketing,with thepromotionof fast food, sugarydrinks, sugarybreakfast cereals, and candy accounting for 90% of these expenditures.4 Although companies have promised to market healthier choices to children younger than 12 years of age, there have been few improvements in the overall landscape of foodmarketed to children.5 In addition, companies continue to view children 12 years of age and older as an important targetmarketandoutside thescopeofcurrent self-regulatory initiatives.6 Marketing in schools is one tool in the foodcompanies’ diverse toolbox to encourage children and adolescents to consumetheirbrandsandrecruit lifelong loyal customers. In2009, food and beverage companies spent $149 million on inschool marketing. This amount represents 8% of total youthtargeted food marketing expenditures and the third-largest category of promotional activity behind television and premiums.4 Carbonated and other sugary beverages account for more than 90% of school-based marketing expenditures, followed by fast food. Snack foods, candy, and baked goods, as well as dairy products, also are marketed in schools. Most of these products are high in sugar, calories, and fat and are inconsistent with recommendations of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.7 The school environment provides an optimal setting for companies to reach youth, but this marketing raises significant public health concerns. Students are “a captive audience,” exposed to school-based marketing messages multiple times over the almost 200 days per year they spend in school. Continuous exposure to brand logos directly increases long-term preferences for brands.8 Furthermore, school-based marketing occurs without parental interference. Even if parents are aware ofmarketing to their children in school, their ability to change these practices is limited. In addition, marketing in schools implies the school’s endorsement of the products.Howcan schools effectively teach good nutritionwhen theproducts they tell children to limit are featured in school halls, cafeterias, vending machines, and athletic fields? All too often school officials believe that corporate supportprovidesanacceptable solution toaddressbudget shortfalls. However, this short-term solution comes with the potential for long-term detriment to students’ health and well-being. In this month’s JAMA Pediatrics, Terry-McElrath and colleagues9 provide an important contribution to our understandingof theprevalenceandtypesof foodandbeveragemarketing in schools. To our knowledge, their article9 is the first toquantify foodmarketing in anational sampleof schools and to measure changes over a 6-year period. Many of the findings are surprising and disturbing. Almost two-thirds of elementary schools provide food coupons as student incentives (eg, Pizza Hut’s Book It program10 and Sonic Limeades for Learning11). In cafeterias, 10% of elementary schools and 30% of high schools serve branded fast food weekly; 19% of highschools serve it everyday.From2007 to2012, onlymiddle schools exhibited a significant reduction in food marketing, while 70% of elementaryand middle-school students continue to encounter some form of food-related marketing. Although incidence is low at 6%, posters or other ads for soft drinks, fast food, and candy increased steadily in elementary schools from 2008. Vending contracts remain prevalent but contributeminimal financial support: approximately $2 to $4 per studentannually.Not surprisingly,middleandhighschools with ahighpercentage of low-income students havemore exclusive vending beverage contracts than other schools. The school-based food and beverage marketing described in Terry-McElrath et al9 understates the overall picture. As documented by others,4,12-15 the full range of inschool marketing practices is even broader. Branded fundraising sponsoredby food companies is common, including direct sales of products (eg, David’s Cookies16 and Hershey’s candy17) and reward programs for families’ purchases (eg, General Mills’ Box Tops for Education18 andMy Coke Rewards for schools19). Ronald McDonald visits elementary schools to teach children abouthealthy eating,20 and fast food restaurants donate a percent of the night’s proceeds in return for in-school promotions.21 Soda and sports drink logos are commonly featured on donated school equipment such as scoreboards and beverage coolers.15 Food marketing also enters the classroom through display advertising on Internet search engines and educational websites such as coolmath-games.com22 and Channel One News.23 Across all demographic groups, two-thirdsof parents support regulations to limit advertising and sponsorships of unhealthy foods and beverages in schools, a higher level of support thanregulationsonfoodmarketing tochildren inanyother Related article page 234 Opinion

Strategies for recruiting injection drug users for HIV prevention services in Delhi, India

BackgroundWe utilized multiple recruitment approaches to recruit IDUs in a longitudinal cohort study to examine HIV incidence and behavior change pre- and post-introduction of comprehensive HIV prevention services.MethodsIDUs were recruited through peer referral, targeted outreach by outreach workers (ORWs) and as walk-in clients at drop-in centers. Participants received monetary compensation for participation (USD 0.80). Participants were given recruitment coupons to recruit peers (regardless of recruitment method). For peer referral, participants received a food coupon, as secondary compensation, for each peer he/she successfully recruited. We report the profile of IDUs by recruitment method, based on the baseline behavioral survey and HIV test results. Cost per IDU recruited by recruitment method was also calculated.ResultsA total of 3,818 IDUs were recruited between May 2011 and October 2011. More than half of the study participants were recruited through targeted outreach (ORW: 53.6%; peer-referral: 26.3%; walk-ins: 20.1%). Of the participants who were given recruitment coupons, 92.7% recruited no peers. Those who successfully recruited at least one peer were significantly more likely to be in a stable living accommodation compared to those who did not recruit any peers (51.1% versus 42.7%; p < 0.05). Only 45.9% of the food coupons were claimed for successful recruitment of peers. Peer-referred IDUs were more likely to be living with family or relatives (50.7% versus ORW: 40.1% and walk-in: 39.8%; p < 0.001) rather than on the street or shared housings compared to the other two recruitment modes. Walk-ins were more likely than peer-referred and ORW-referred IDUs to be HIV-positive (walk-ins: 26.1%; peer-referred: 19.1%; ORW: 19.9%; p < 0.01) and have risky injection practices (walk-ins: 62.2%; ORW: 57.0%; peer-referred: 58.6%; p < 0.05). The cost per IDU recruited through ORW referral method was the most costly at USD 16.30, followed by peer-referral at USD 8.40 and walk-in at USD 7.50.ConclusionWhen recruiting a large number of IDUs, using multiple recruitment modes is ideal with regard to diversification of IDU characteristics and risk profile. Although it was the most costly, ORW recruitment was more effective than the other two methods. Lack of monetary compensation for successful recruitment of peers may have hampered peer-referral.

Social Commerce Food Coupon Recommending System Based On Context Information Using Bayesian Network

Abstract More sales of food and beverage coupons have been made using SNS on social commerce recently. If one buys coupons on social commerce, he/she can enjoy products at a lower price; however, there are drawbacks that one must consider such as location, service hours, and discount rate. Thus, this paper suggests a system that recommends food and beverage coupons on social commerce for users that considers a user’s personal context of location, time, and purchase history. In order to reflect a user’s context awareness and continuous preference, this paper suggests a method based on the Bayesian network. In order to reflect personalized weighting on the standard of coupon selection to match a user’s preference, a measurement and classification of weighting preferences is performed on the basis of AHP. 20 experiments in one month involving 12 students were carried out to verify the effectiveness of the system, resulting in an 80% satisfaction level. Key Words : Bayesian Network, Context Information, Social Commerce, SNS, Food Coupon