Internal Checks Research Articles

A “Terrific Symbol”: Physical Personalization of Pandemic Relief Enhances Presidential Support

ABSTRACTThe COVID-19 pandemic has forced governments worldwide—many that previously prioritized austerity—to approve large relief packages. Political economy tells us that politicians will try to profit from this electorally, but much remains unknown about precisely how pandemic relief might influence voting intentions. Then-President Donald Trump foregrounded this question early in the pandemic by becoming the first US president to physically place his name on Internal Revenue Service relief checks mailed to citizens. By leveraging a nationally representative survey whose timing achieved quasi-experimental variation in the receipt of payments both with and without Trump’s name physically on them, this study asks: Can a president successfully win support through physical personalization of the payments? Yes, the study finds. Receiving a physically personalized check in the mail is associated with a much greater self-reported likelihood of voting for the president, with gains mainly from partisan outgroups. No clear effect is found for unpersonalized electronic transfers. These findings withstand multiple robustness checks.

Internal Control System and Financial Performance of Deposit Taking Savings and Credit Co-Operative Societies in Makueni County, Kenya

Positive financial performance can be attained by eradicating misuse of funds through internal audits. Inadequate controls have also resulted in management and external auditors colluding, resulting in firms failing to meet their goals. Financial performance of DT-Sacco’s in Makueni County is plagued by severe deficiency in internal financial control due to continued lending of more than the deposits, which consequently destroy their liquidity. Majority of the Sacco’s are pushed to lend from the external sources so that they counter the shortfall that may arise. This study sought to investigate the influence of internal control system on financial performance of deposit taking Savings and Credit Cooperative Societies in Makueni County. The specific objectives of the study are; to examine the influence of monitoring on the financial performance of deposits taking Savings and credit cooperatives in Makueni County, to establish the influence of control environment on the financial performance of Deposit taking Savings and credit cooperatives in Makueni County, to determine the effect of control activities influences the financial performance of deposit taking Savings and credit cooperatives in Makueni County, to investigate the effect of risk assessment on the financial performance of Deposit Taking Savings and credit cooperatives in Makueni County and to determine the influence of information and communication influences the financial performance of deposit taking Savings and credit cooperatives in Makueni County. The study is anchored on the reliability, Contingency, agency, stewardship, shareholders and cost management and efficiency theory. The study further adopted the census technique due to the low number of deposit taking Savings and credit cooperatives numbering 17. Data was collected using Semi-structured questionnaires using the drop and pick afterwards method. Data was analyzed using Statistical Packages for Social Sciences version 26.0 software. The results were presented in tables, frequencies, median, mean scores and standard deviation. From the analysed data the researcher derived conclusions and make recommendations. This study has highlighted the importance of internal control system on financial performance of deposit taking Savings and credit Cooperatives. Internal control systems that are effective are those that encourage staff to embrace high financial integrity with great diligence on values of financial propriety and high observance of ethics. This also requires the staff to have the prerequisite competence and capacity to enhance productivity through adequate segregation of duties, frequent job rotations and adequate processes to do internal checks, for example, authorizations and verifications for each transaction. Therefore, management of deposit taking Savings and credit Cooperatives should thoroughly concur with the commendations of our internal audit report, making each effort to make sure that all the financial books are orderly for external audit. Additionally, the management should make sure their organizations have installed appropriate Information Communication Technology controls, like, password access and pertinent software to control information access to permitted people only.

Evropski model integrisanog upravljanja granicama

The enlargement of the European Union has called for a reevaluation of the way the external borders to be protected as a necessary consequence of the free movement of people in the European Union. It also appears to be a result of a fundamental component of the area of freedom, security and justice. The abolition of the internal border checks and a different approach to external borders followed by emerging forms of cross-border crime with a cross-border dimension, illegal migration, trafficking in human beings and terrorist threats constantly being on the rise, have requested a different approach. The lack of economic perspective, poverty, environmental disasters and wars have forced people to look for a better life else where, which has led to the most important global phenomenon of the 21st century migration. Migration issues have made us think about the important matters faced by developed countries independently, and as such they are currently at the top of the European Union's political agenda. To respond effectively to emerging challenges and threats, the European Union has expedited the development of the integrated border management as a generally acceptable border management model, as well as a key factor in improving migration management. The paper is based on the information gathered from the open sources of the European Union institutions, as well as from personal experiences gained throughout the course of border management reform in Republic of Serbia.

Detection of pairwise kSZ effect with DESI galaxy clusters and Planck

ABSTRACT We report a 5σ detection of the pairwise kinematic Sunyaev–Zel’dovich (kSZ) effect, combining galaxy clusters in DESI imaging surveys and the Planck temperature maps. The detection is facilitated by both improvements in the data and in the analysis method. For the data, we adopt the recently released DESI galaxy group catalog with ∼106 robustly identified groups, and construct various galaxy cluster samples for the kSZ measurement. The DESI group catalogue also provides estimation of halo mass, which further improves the kSZ measurement by $\sim 10{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$. For the analysis method, we derive an optimal estimator of pairwise kSZ through the maximum likelihood analysis. It also handles potential systematic errors self-consistently. The baseline cluster sample, containing the 1.2 × 105 richest galaxy clusters of typical mass ∼1014 M⊙/h at typical redshift 0.2–0.5, rules out the null hypothesis at 5σ. When fitting with a pairwise kSZ template from simulations, the signal is detected at 4.7σ and the average optical depth is constrained as $\bar{\tau }_e=(1.66\pm 0.35)\times 10^{-4}$. We perform various internal checks, with different cluster selection criteria, different sky coverage, and redshift range, different CMB maps, different filter sizes, different treatments of potential systematics, and the covariance matrix. The kSZ effect is consistently detected with 2.5 ≤S/N≤5.6 and acceptable $\chi ^2_{\rm min}$, across a variety of cluster samples. The S/N is limited by both the Planck resolution and the photo-z accuracy, and therefore, can be significant improved with DESI spectroscopic redshift information and with other CMB experiments.

RELATIONSHIP MARKETING IN CUSTOMER LOYALTY OF COMMERCIAL GALLERIES IN TIMES OF COVID-19

The main objective of the study is to determine the level of dependence between relationship marketing and the level of customer loyalty to the brand. The study was conducted through a quantitative approach using the CAWI method. Relationships were determined by several factors. The loyalty factors are: Differentiation, Personalization, Satisfaction, Loyalty, usually. The relationship marketing indicators are: Trust, Commitment, Customer Satisfaction, Intention to renew the relationship. The survey results were processed using statistical methods. In particular, internal consistency checks performed on the questionnaire with questions to use Cronbach’s alpha. The use of such criteria allows to draw conclusions about the high level of consistency. The coefficient of determination was used for statistical verification of dependence. The results of the calculations confirmed a high level of dependence. Dependence was also confirmed by calculating p-values with a high level of probability. Conclusions were drawn according to the results of the empirical investigation.

Conformity Assessments and Post-market Monitoring: A Guide to the Role of Auditing in the Proposed European AI Regulation

The proposed European Artificial Intelligence Act (AIA) is the first attempt to elaborate a general legal framework for AI carried out by any major global economy. As such, the AIA is likely to become a point of reference in the larger discourse on how AI systems can (and should) be regulated. In this article, we describe and discuss the two primary enforcement mechanisms proposed in the AIA: the conformity assessments that providers of high-risk AI systems are expected to conduct, and the post-market monitoring plans that providers must establish to document the performance of high-risk AI systems throughout their lifetimes. We argue that the AIA can be interpreted as a proposal to establish a Europe-wide ecosystem for conducting AI auditing, albeit in other words. Our analysis offers two main contributions. First, by describing the enforcement mechanisms included in the AIA in terminology borrowed from existing literature on AI auditing, we help providers of AI systems understand how they can prove adherence to the requirements set out in the AIA in practice. Second, by examining the AIA from an auditing perspective, we seek to provide transferable lessons from previous research about how to refine further the regulatory approach outlined in the AIA. We conclude by highlighting seven aspects of the AIA where amendments (or simply clarifications) would be helpful. These include, above all, the need to translate vague concepts into verifiable criteria and to strengthen the institutional safeguards concerning conformity assessments based on internal checks.

Estimating Adult Death Rates From Sibling Histories: A Network Approach.

Hundreds of millions of people live in countries that do not have complete death registration systems, meaning that most deaths are not recorded and that critical quantities, such as life expectancy, cannot be directly measured. The sibling survival method is a leading approach to estimating adult mortality in the absence of death registration. The idea is to ask survey respondents to enumerate their siblings and to report about their survival status. In many countries and periods, sibling survival data are the only nationally representative source of information about adult mortality. Although a vast amount of sibling survival data has been collected, important methodological questions about the method remain unresolved. To help make progress on this issue, we propose reframing the sibling survival method as a network sampling problem. This approach enables a formal derivation of statistical estimators for sibling survival data. Our derivation clarifies the precise conditions that sibling history estimates rely on, leads to internal consistency checks that can help assess data and reporting quality, and reveals important quantities that could potentially be measured to relax assumptions in the future. We introduce the R package siblingsurvival, which implements the methods we describe.

Evidence-based training approach for higher education faculty: brief model of inclusion and training of the disabled

PurposeThis interventional study aims to test the effectiveness of thek training approach for higher education faculty members to facilitate students with disabilities (SwD) to promote inclusion in higher education by operationalising approaches on the basis of the social action model. It presents an evidence-based training model created on recognised theories and strategies in the field of disability.Design/methodology/approachThe study follows a single-case pre/post-test intervention design in which data were analysed quantitatively, followed by a thematic analysis of participants' feedback and trainer's reflections. Training sessions were aligned to the social action model, the perspective of reasonable accommodations and introduction to technological support for teaching-learning and policy issues. Eighty faculty members from different schools of a multi-disciplinary Pakistani university participated in these sessions. Data from only 63 faculty members were available for analyses.FindingsTeacher Perceptions of Facilitating Students with Disabilities (TP-FSD) scale served as a pre- and post-test measure. The quantitative assessment revealed knowledge and attitudinal gains after brief trainings. However, when findings were interpreted considering effect sizes and supported by qualitative findings, moderate effectiveness level was evident. Effectiveness can be interpreted by the internal and external validity checks and findings of multiple assessments.Practical implicationsThis study can be replicated by adapting the training approach and by considering its strengths and shortcomings mentioned in detail in the discussion section.Originality/valueThe study tested the effectiveness of brief faculty training to support SwD in a multi-disciplinary university having faculty with varied education and training experience.

R-based image analysis to quantify checking and shrinkage from wood wedges

Internal checking and shrinkage are drying defects that strongly degrade timber for structural and appearance uses in many hardwood species. Wood quality assessors and tree breeders often measure checks and shrinkage from disc-derived wood wedges using scale-based methods and callipers, but these methods are subjective and labour intensive. This study developed an R-based open-source system using image thresholding techniques to quantify checks and shrinkage from digital images of wood wedges. The results showed that the automated quantification of checks predicted the subjective and manual assessment for both area and number of checks in Eucalyptus nitens at the wedge level, and provided much more precision than the subjective classification of checking used by breeders for little additional effort. Similarly, the automated image assessment explained a high proportion of the manually measured variation in shrinkage and collapse with little bias. The automated assessment resulted in significant time saving compared with the manual measurements from digital images. The R-based image analysis thus shows promise in replacing traditional assessment when evaluating a large number of samples and quantitative estimates of checks and shrinkage are required, and has the added advantage that the distribution of checks and collapse within the wedges can be obtained to assist diverse studies on drying defects.

Parliaments in times of crisis: COVID-19, populism and executive dominance

This article assesses the extent to which European governments’ legal strategies (i.e. the choices of and changes in the legal foundation(s) authorising executive action) to address the COVID-19 pandemic enhanced executive autonomy to the detriment of parliamentary policy-making power, defined as the formal ability of parliaments to constrain executive rule making. Approaching the reduction in parliamentary policy-making power as one indication of ‘executive aggrandisement’, it contrasts the prominent claim in the literature that populist governments tend to use emergencies to weaken formal checks on executive power with a hypothesis derived from research on crisis policy making, associating such tendencies with unified executives lacking internal checks and balances. Assessing six European governments’ legal strategies between January 2020 until the present (spring 2021), the formal weakening of parliaments’ role in law making was – overall – more pronounced among ‘unified executives’ than governments including major populist parties, pointing to a source of ‘democratic vulnerability’ in emergency situations transcending Central Eastern Europe.

The Evolution of SEND at AstraZeneca

• Insight in to AstraZeneca's business critical project to become SEND compliant in an accelerated timeframe. • Successful implementation of SEND software and processes to create in-house datasets and manage CRO data. • Over 169 CRO SEND packages reviewed, contributing to 31 submissions to the US FDA, including interim and draft datasets. • Internal quality checks were developed to mitigate variation in SEND quality. • Standardised format and controlled terms have enabled visualisation and warehousing of nonclinical safety data.

Consistency and Homogeneity of Atmospheric Energy, Moisture, and Mass Budgets in ERA5

AbstractThis study uses advanced numerical and diagnostic methods to evaluate the atmospheric energy budget with the fifth major global reanalysis produced by ECMWF (ERA5) in combination with observed and reconstructed top of the atmosphere (TOA) energy fluxes for the period 1985–2018. We assess the meridional as well as ocean–land energy transport and perform internal consistency checks using mass-balanced data. Furthermore, the moisture and mass budgets in ERA5 are examined and compared with previous budget evaluations using ERA-Interim as well as observation-based estimates. Results show that peak annual mean meridional atmospheric energy transports in ERA5 (4.58 ± 0.07 PW in the Northern Hemisphere) are weaker compared to ERA-Interim (4.74 ± 0.09 PW), where the higher spatial and temporal resolution of ERA5 can be excluded as a possible reason. The ocean–land energy transport in ERA5 is reliable at least from 2000 onward (~2.5 PW) such that the imbalance between net TOA fluxes and lateral energy fluxes over land are on the order of ~1 W m−2. Spinup and spindown effects as revealed from inconsistencies between analyses and forecasts are generally smaller and temporally less variable in ERA5 compared to ERA-Interim. Evaluation of the moisture budget shows that the ocean–land moisture transport and parameterized freshwater fluxes agree well in ERA5, while there are large inconsistencies in ERA-Interim. Overall, the quality of the budgets derived from ERA5 is demonstrably better than estimates from ERA-Interim. Still some particularly sensitive budget quantities (e.g., precipitation, evaporation, and ocean–land energy transport) show apparent inhomogeneities, especially in the late 1990s, which warrant further investigation and need to be considered in studies of interannual variability and trends.

Developing a modelling approach to quantify quality of care and nurse workload — Field validation study

Background:The effect of policy and managerial decisions on nurse-workload, and subsequent quality-of-care, are difficult to quantify in advance. A tool is needed that can proactively test these changes — Discrete Event Simulation (DES) may help. While computerized simulation models have existed before, there remains a gap to affirm the validity of these models. Objective:Develop an approach to creating a valid computerized simulation model that quantifies the effects of operational decisions on nurse-workload and quality-of-care. Methods:The DES model simulates the process of care delivery for nurses on a task-by-task basis. In an effort to validate this approach, the DES model was adapted to a real-world medical-surgical unit. Model inputs include: historical patient-care data; unit-layout; and programming logic, developed via focus-groups. Nurse-workload outcomes were distance-walked, task-in-queue, direct-care time, and nurse-movement. Quality-of-care outcomes included missed-care; and care-task waiting-time. The model is validated via internal validity checks and a field study that consisted of a ‘step-counter study’, a ‘MISSCARE survey’, ‘nurse job shadowing’, and a ‘time and motion study’. An Intraclass-correlation (ICC) and Spearman ranked correlation analysis were used to compare modelling outcomes to field-study outcomes. Results:The DES model, when adapted to a real-world medical-surgical unit, has been validated. The ICC coefficients show an “excellent” agreement of 0.99, 0.99, 0.85, 0.85, 0.84 between simulation and real-world outcomes, along with a “good” agreement of 0.86 for Spearman ranked correlation. Specific modelling results include a ‘distance walked’ of 7 to 10.6 km with a ‘direct care time’ of 8.3 to 10.4 h with a total of 77 to 84 trips for an average of 12 to 15 ‘tasks in queue’. Quality-of-care was represented by a ‘care task waiting time’ of 0.9 to 1 h that lead to 25 to 31 ‘missed-care’ tasks, where, 27% were ‘non-patient care’; and ‘missed-care delivery time’ was 2 to 2.9 h. Conclusion:This research provides a decision support-system that can help test and inform healthcare system policies that support both care quality and safety. By validating the DES model of a medical-surgical unit, we suggest that the modelling approach will also yield valid result when applied in similar settings. However, the modelling approach needs to be adapted to other healthcare settings and tested before concluding that this approach will consistently yield valid models.

Clarke Error Grid Analysis for Performance Evaluation of Glucometers in a Tertiary Care Referral Hospital.

Glucometer is the most commonly used POCT device and guides monitoring of blood glucose level in both clinical settings and outside. Inaccurate glucometer readings resulting in erroneous therapeutic intervention has critical consequences on patient care. Regulatory guidelines for performance evaluation of glucometers are not available in many countries. A robust program implemented by the hospital is essential to ensure accuracy and precision of glucometers to produce optimal results. The objective of this study was to design a quality assurance program for the evaluation of glucometers in a high volume tertiary care referral hospital and evaluate the results from July'18 to July'19. Seventy three glucometers used across the hospital were subjected to Internal Quality Control checks and Proficiency Testing performed once a month and every 3months respectively. The results were reviewed and plotted on a Bland Altman Graph. Clarke Error Grid Analysis was done to evaluate the clinical significance of inaccuracies in the measurement of blood glucose concentration as per ISO 15197: 2013. Eight devices were identified as unacceptable by ISO standards and replaced subsequently. 96.83% and 3.17% of the values were in Zone A and B of Clarke Error Grid Analysis. The study complied with the standard which requires that 99% of the values fall within zones A and B. The review of the program after one year and its ability to identify defective glucometers has validated the efficacy of the model. The method used may be suggested as a prototype for quality management of glucometers in a clinical setting.

An Outbreak of Gastroenteritis among students of a religious boarding school, district Islamabad: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

<em>Background:</em> On 1 March, 2018, 15 students of a religious boarding school presented to a tertiary care hospital in Islamabad with complaints of nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhea. A team of FELTP fellows were tasked to investigate the suspected outbreak to confirm diagnosis, determine magnitude, evaluate possible risk factors, identify the source and implement control measures. <em>Methods:</em><strong> </strong>A retrospective cohort study was conducted from 25 February to 5 March, 2018. Medical records were reviewed at the hospital. All the students and staff of the boarding school were interviewed using a structured questionnaire. A case was defined as any student of the religious school reported with nausea, abdominal discomfort and one of the following symptoms of vomiting, diarrhea, and chills on 1 March, 2018. Information on demographics, history of food intake and clinical features was collected. Suspected food items and drinking water samples were sent to the National Institute of Health for microbiological analysis. Frequencies and attack rates were calculated and risk ratios computed at 95% confidence interval at the margin of error P&lt;0.05. <em>Results:</em> Out of a total of 120 students, 39.1% (n=47) developed symptoms with an overall attack rate (AR) of 39%. All the students were male with a mean age of 11 years (range 8-14 years). The most affected age group was 10 -11 years (AR 62%). The highest food specific attack rate (82%) was calculated for rice. Among all food items served at breakfast, rice was found statistically significant. Out of 57 students who ate rice, 47 developed illness (RR=17.31, 95% CI 5.70-52.58). During interviews with staff it was found that the food was cooked a day before and stored before being donated to the school by a local restaurant. Staphylococcus <em>aureus</em> was isolated from rice samples. <em>Conclusion:</em><strong> </strong>Consumption of contaminated rice was the most probable cause of the outbreak. Unhygienic storage and handling lead to contamination of the rice. Proper training of food handlers can prevent the transmission of food borne disease. It is strongly recommended that extreme care should be taken while accepting food items from the locals as donation and it should be ascertained that food is not old or smelly. Food must also be accepted with the identity of the person who donates food and this was adopted as a policy later on. In addition to the internal food safety checks, implementation of frequent hand washing and hygiene promotion operating procedures were recommended for the restaurant. Further, an awareness session was conducted on spot among the students and staff.

Machine learning-based prediction of internal checks in weathered thermally modified timber

This study investigated possibilities to predict the presence of internal checks in thermally modified Norway spruce timber after 2.5 years of weathering based on the initial properties of the boards. Machine-learning classification enabled sorting the input parameters based on their relative importance for accurate predictions. The parameters of thermally modified timber with the highest relative importance were annual ring width followed by initial moisture content, density and dynamic stiffness. Whereas after kiln drying these were, density, annual ring width, initial moisture content and acoustic velocity. The results showed that predictions are possible, and an accuracy of 67% was achieved by using annual ring width combined with density and initial moisture content, or acoustic velocity that can be determined after either kiln drying or thermal treatment.

Combined application of ultrasonic and ultra high frequency techniques in the partial discharge detection and positioning of gas insulated switchgear

Partial discharge live detection of GIS can effectively find internal defects, but it is often interfered by surrounding environmental noise, which affects the correct identification and judgment of defect signals. This paper introduces the application of AE and UHF technique in the live detection of GIS, which successfully recognizes the external interference signal, analyzes the cause of abnormal partial discharge signal based on signal characteristics, and uses the method by calculating time difference to locate the source of the signal. An internal checking on the equipment were conducted based on the test results while the equipment were stopped, and verified the existence of floating fault inside GIS.

The AI Regulation: entering an AI regulatory winter? Why an ad hoc directive on AI in employment is required

Policy issues • AI systems in the context of employment are intrusive and have negative impacts on workers. The proposed Regulation fails to address the specificity of AI uses in employment, including platform work. An ad hoc directive on AI in employment is therefore necessary. • As a consequence of focusing the regulatory approach on highrisk applications, the majority of use cases are considered lowrisk, not subject to any evaluation and de facto authorised. • High-risk uses are permitted subject to compliance with specific requirements and an ex ante conformity assessment based on internal control checks. This approach stacks the deck in favour of tech providers when the priority of this Regulation should have been to protect EU citizens and workers’ rights.

ДОСЛІДЖЕННЯ ПИТАНЬ ФОРМУВАННЯ ЯКОСТІ ТРАНСПОРТНИХ ПОСЛУГ ПІДПРИЄМСТВАМИ ПАСАЖИРСЬКОГО ТРАНСПОРТУ КРАЇН ЄС

The article examines the processes, criteria and factors to ensure the quality of passenger transport services. Object of study - processes to ensure the quality of passenger transport services in the context of European integration of Ukraine. Purpose - a study of the world experience in the formation of the concept of quality of transport services, summarizing the main factors that affect the quality of transport services, as well as the main criteria affecting the qualitative characteristics of the services of the transport. Method study - generalization of fundamental works of Ukrainian and foreign scientists of economists is in the internal checking system, dialectical going, fundamental positions of economic theory, system-logical approach near research of the economic phenomena and processes. Satisfaction the needs of society and economy of passenger transport services depends on the quality and timeliness of those services. Questions of quality passenger transport services are interested in users of transport services, companies providing them. However, the requirements and the basic criteria for assessing the quality they are different. If the passenger transport enterprise interested in providing their services with minimal effort and money, the service users in their assessment pay attention not only on the cost of services, but also on transport safety, comfort, delivery time, etc.. The quality of the transport concept of integrated services, which is constantly being developed and improved. Global trends show that the quality of transport services must ensure the needs and expectations of consumers. Accordingly, it is increasing the importance of defining the qualities that affect the quality of service. Given the transient and dynamic nature of modern society and the lifestyle of the main consumers of the services the system factors and quality criteria must be flexible and dynamic to meet the industry's competitiveness on the European market of services. Awareness of the main criteria for assessing the quality of services will help to identify potential strengths and weaknesses. This will help improve not only the quality but also the process of enterprise management, industry, improve customer satisfaction of services received, will increase competitiveness. The results of the article can be inculcated in-process services of enterprises of a transport complex. KEYWORDS: QUALITY, TRANSPORT SERVICE. CRITERIA of QUALITY, TRANSPORT.

Estimating abortion incidence using the network scale-up method

Background: A major challenge in abortion research is accurately measuring the incidence of induced abortion, particularly in restrictive settings. This study tests the network scale-up method (NSUM) to measure abortion incidence, which uses respondent social network data to estimates the size of hidden populations. Methods: Using NSUM modules added to the Ethiopia and Uganda 2018 Performance Monitoring for Action (PMA) community-based surveys, we compute NSUM abortion incidence ratios, and adjust these ratios to account for transmission bias. We conduct internal validity checks to assess the NSUM performance. Results: The unadjusted NSUM abortion ratios were likely underestimates (Uganda: 15.3 per 100 births, Ethiopia: 3.6 per 100 births). However, the transmission bias-adjusted NSUM abortion ratios grossly overestimated abortion (Uganda: 151.4 per 100 births, Ethiopia: 73.9 per 100 births), which was likely due to selection bias, question wording, and the use of lifetime abortions to measure transmission bias. Internal validity checks revealed problems with the NSUM application in Ethiopia. Unadjusted NSUM estimates of intrauterine device/implant use performed well compared to established external estimates, but adjusting for transmission bias again resulted in overestimation. Conclusions: The NSUM resulted in overestimates of abortion incidence in Ethiopia and Uganda. We discuss several modifications that may improve future applications of the NSUM for measuring abortion. Contribution: This is the first test of the NSUM to estimate national abortion incidence. Our findings highlight the critical need to assess the validity of abortion estimates, a key feature of the NSUM that is lacking in most other indirect abortion measurement methods.