Mixed Logit Model Research Articles

COVID-19 and shifting food preferences: A panel study among Chilean students

The COVID-19 pandemic had a profound impact on various aspects of life. This study aims to investigate whether the COVID-19 pandemic changed food preferences, focusing on cost perceptions, environmental factors, and health attributes. We conducted a panel study with self-administered online surveys among undergraduate students in Chile, both before and during the first wave of the pandemic. Each survey included a discrete choice experiment (DCE) to elicit food preferences. Using mixed logit models, our analysis shows that during the COVID-19 pandemic, sensitivity to cost, preference for foods with low environmental impact, and preference for vitamin-rich foods increased. These changes in preferences can be attributed to individuals' perceived health risks. These findings suggest that the pandemic increased awareness of sustainable and healthy food choices, with important implications for promoting these choices during global crises.

Quantifying the economic value of a national hydrometric network for households

This study reports the results of a Choice Experiment to quantify households’ willingness-to-pay for river gauging programmes in Scotland. The hydrometric network is operated and maintained by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), Scotland’s principal environment regulator, a non-department public body of the Scottish Government. Results from mixed logit and latent class modelling show that most households (‘Hydrometric Maximisers’ − around 70 %) have significant, positive willingness-to-pay values for river gauging programmes, but a minority (‘Hydrometric Satisficers’ − around 30 %) do not view this as a major public policy priority. On average, hydrometric data collection delivers non-market benefits worth £84,625,562 to the Scottish economy, with a minimum economic Benefit-to-Cost ratio of 25:1. This is in addition to the infrastructure value and any private returns made by commercial users of the data. The findings demonstrate that traditional approaches to assessing the benefits of hydrometric networks often underestimate their value. The research also highlights the importance of public information campaigns and household engagement initiatives to increase awareness of hydro-meteorological services, and to develop the business case more fully for public investment in environmental observation networks.

Patient preferences for metastatic prostate cancer treatment: a discrete choice experiment

BackgroundTo examine the preference weightings for risk/benefit attributes of therapy in metastatic prostate cancer(mPC) patients, encompassing hormone-sensitive(mHSPC) and castration-resistant(mCRPC) settings. Patients and MethodsA non-interventional cross-sectional survey employing a discrete choice experiment was conducted, recruiting 200 mHSPC and 100 mCRPC patients within 5 years of diagnosis from the urology and oncology specialty clinics between Feb 2023 and Jul 2023. Patients were randomized into 2 blocks of 9 questions, choosing 1 out of 2 medication profiles consisting five attributes, each with 3 levels, determined from a group interview of 5 patients. A mixed logit model estimated attribute-level preference weightings, with tradeoff points calculated. ResultsMedian age was 75(IQR:71-81), 170(56.7%) had no income, 245(81.7%) cared for themselves, mean maximum out-of-pocket treatment cost was US$20,456(SD:43,568), and 160(53.3%) claimed not to consider further treatment when cost exceeding their affordability. Patients favoured self-care ability(4.37,P<.001) and life expectancy extension(2.83,P<.001), disfavoured adverse effects (-6.97,P<.001) and treatment cost(in HK$million or USD$128,205)(-3.14,P<.001). mCPRC patients was more sensitive to treatment cost(-3.61vs-2.97), life expectancy extension(3.47vs2.55) and adverse effects(-7.55vs-6.80) compared to mHSPC patients. Higher financial affordability patients exhibited higher sensitivity to self-care ability(4.89vs4.02) and adverse effects(-7.57vs-6.70). ConclusionThe chance of adverse effects was pivotal in treatment decisions, followed by self-care ability, with cost remaining a major access barrier. Micro AbstractExamining the preference weightings for risk/benefit attributes of therapy in metastatic prostate cancer patients, we recruited 200 hormone-sensitive and 100 castration-resistant patients for a cross-sectional discrete choice experiment survey. A mixed logit model estimated attribute-level preference weightings, calculating tradeoff points. The chance of adverse effects and self-care ability were pivotal in treatment decisions, with cost remaining a major access barrier.

Patient Preferences for Surgical Treatments for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia: A Discrete Choice Experiment

Purpose: When symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia cannot or can no longer be treated by conservative treatment options adequately, various surgical treatment options are available. Different risks and benefits are associated with each type of surgery; the optimal choice depends on the patient's preference. This study analyzes patients' preferences and investigates patient characteristics that might influence patient preferences in Germany. Materials and Methods: We conducted an online discrete choice experiment based on 9 treatment attributes related to risks (probability of ejaculatory dysfunction, permanent incontinence, needing surgery again, and erectile dysfunction) and efficacy (frequency of daytime and nighttime urination, urgency and duration of urination, and time until symptoms improve) of surgeries. To estimate preferences, we applied a mixed-logit model. Subgroup analyses based on patients' characteristics were conducted. Results: Three hundred thirty participants completed the discrete choice experiment. Overall, participants preferred a lower risk of ejaculatory dysfunction, lower urgency and duration of urination, lower probability of permanent incontinence, lower frequency of nighttime and daytime urination, and lower probability of needing another surgery. Moreover, a faster onset of overall symptom reduction was preferred. Several patient characteristics especially characteristics related to a patient's sexual life seem to influence patients' preferences. Conclusions: Significant preference heterogeneity could be observed in this study, and subgroup analyses suggest differences in preferences in relation to patients' characteristics. These findings highlight the need for individualized treatment decisions. Physicians should evaluate patients' clinical but also inquire about a patient's personal situation and preferences to select the optimal treatment in collaboration with the individual patient.

New insights into factors affecting the severity of autonomous vehicle crashes from two sources of AV incident records

Superior safety is the main banner value of promoting autonomous vehicle (AV) technology, but it is difficult to responsibly claim it. The potential for AVs to reduce crash and injury risks would be overshadowed by technological limitations, regardless of their ability to mitigate or eliminate human error. This study aims to identify the key factors affecting crash severity by analyzing real-world AV crash data from the U.S. between 2015 and 2022. We integrated two open data sources from the California DMV and NHTSA. Mixed multinomial logit models incorporating the interaction effects were estimated using the crash severity level, addressing the observed and unobserved heterogeneities. Our results show that Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) engagement is associated with a higher likelihood of slight injury crashes, whereas Automated Driving System (ADS) engagements show the opposite effect. In addition, we found that various environmental and road factors, including lighting conditions, weather, road type, and road surface conditions, significantly affect the severity of AV crashes. For instance, daylight conditions contribute to a lower likelihood of slight-injury crashes. On the other hand, driving under unfavorable weather conditions (cloudy, foggy, rainy, or snowy), on the highway, and on non-dry road surfaces are associated with an increase in the likelihood of severe injury crashes. Furthermore, several significant interaction effects were revealed. First, the mitigating effect of ADS engagement on the likelihood of slight injury crashes is reduced by the rear-end collision type. Second, the likelihood of slight injury crashes increases when AV interacts with heavy trucks on highways. Third, the likelihood of severe injuries increases when AVs collide with Vulnerable Road Users (VRUs) on urban streets. Overall, this research is expected to provide policymakers and AV manufacturers with valuable insights into AV safety, stressing that addressing the identified factors will lead to improved AV design and control algorithms.

Urban Air Mobility Passengers’ Profiling: Evidence from Milan Airports, Italy

Urban air mobility (UAM) is expected to offer new travel options for passengers to and from airports in the near future, despite uncertainties associated with regulatory issues, environmental concerns, and societal impacts. This paper analyzes the socioeconomic and behavioral factors that could influence users’ modal choices (including UAM services) for accessing and egressing airports. Using revealed and stated preference data collected at Milan airports (Italy), mixed logit and hybrid choice modeling specifications are estimated and compared with profile potential UAM passengers. Our findings suggest that the level of service, socioeconomic factors, and trip-related variables explain passengers’ choices better than latent traits such as fear of flying, propensity for technological advances, and expectations about the safety of UAM services. In other words, the additional complexity of hybrid choice modeling is not justified by the slight gain in likelihood compared with the estimated mixed logit model. The results also indicate that high-income individuals traveling for business purposes are the most likely demand segment to use UAM services, at least initially. Moreover, highly educated individuals and employees who have their travel expenses reimbursed for work trips are less likely to choose UAM services for airport access or egress, preferring traditional ground taxis.

Job preferences of master public health candidates in Northeast China based on discrete choice experiments

BackgroundThe shortage of health workers in rural and remote areas is a key issue for global health systems, including China. Public health undertakings in Northeast China face the risk of a talent gap. In September 2023, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) held a symposium on promoting the comprehensive revitalization of Northeast China in the New Era, proposing to support the comprehensive revitalization of Northeast China with high-quality population development, strengthen the development and utilization of human resources, and increase policy support for the revitalization of talent.MethodsThe questionnaire was designed by discrete choice experiments, and 1208 Public Health Master’s candidates from six universities in Northeast China were investigated online via the Powercx system network survey platform in April 2024. The mixed logit model was used to analyze the job preferences of Master Public Health candidates.ResultsAll 7 attributes included in the study had statistically significant effects on the job preferences of public health master’s degree candidates (P < 0.05). They tended to choose jobs with higher monthly income (12,000 CNY/month), located in cities with good working environments and with Bianzhi when seeking jobs. There is heterogeneity in job preference, and different preference characteristics are displayed in different subgroups.ConclusionThis study revealed that public health master’s degree candidates in Northeast China were more willing to choose jobs with higher monthly incomes, working places in cities and better working environments. The way to formulate a combination of policy packages is more attractive than improving a single aspect alone. Since the preferences of each subgroup are different, the preference characteristics of the target population should also be considered when formulating the policy package to meet the challenges of talent attraction and retention.

User characteristics and preferences for micromobility use in first- and last-mile journeys in Dublin, Ireland

Micromobility and public transport integration is an area of urban mobility that has been increasingly gaining attention and importance. The necessity to provide improvements to public transport services and their spatial reach in order to reduce the number and volume of car trips in cities is irrefutable. The integration of micromobility and public transport is often presented as a valuable strategy to improve door-to-door connectivity and coverage of existing public transport services, via provision of key first- and last-mile or access-egress connections. The aim of this study was to understand and model the propensity of commuters in County Dublin to use micromobility (private and shared) in the first- and last-miles of their public transport journeys. A stated preference experiment was conducted with a focus on these specific segments of the journey and a mixed logit model was estimated to identify user characteristics and preferences based on socio-economic factors, mobility patterns and attitudes towards and previous experience of shared mobility. The results show that, in this particular case study, respondents with a strong walking preference were less likely to be interested in private micromobility and sharing services for the first- and last-mile. A common assumption that walking is a last resort, and only chosen when there are no other options available was not confirmed by the findings of this study. Moreover, competition between the modes showed that private bicycles are the preferred mode after walking, followed by private e-scooters, while shared modes were less likely to be chosen over walking, and shared e-scooters less so than shared bicycles. Overall, the findings suggest that a small percentage of the sample – mainly young (<35 years old) and male respondents with interest in and experience of e-scooters – were interested in using private and shared e-scooters for the first- and last-mile, but that the majority of the respondents were likely to choose walking, albeit with longer travel times overall.

Tradeoffs between privacy and screening efficiency for air passengers – Implications for tourism supply chain management

ABSTRACT This study employs the stated preference method to explore airline passengers’ choices during security screening and examines their trade-offs between privacy and efficiency. We compare two Asian economic hub cities (i.e. Hong Kong and Shanghai), with 500 business and leisure travellers sampled from each city. A generalised mixed multinomial logit model is estimated. The results suggest that travellers display varied levels of privacy concerns, including biometrics, biographical data, identifiers, and behavioural information. The participants from Shanghai expressed a willingness to go through fingerprint scanning and to provide facial images. The travellers in Hong Kong displayed notable reluctance to receive iris scans and disclose political and religious affiliations, and they were particularly hesitant about sharing medication records. Despite some differences between the two markets, both groups strongly opposed smartphone tracking, including access to search history and GPS location. In general, business (vs. leisure) travellers, men (vs. women), individuals with higher education levels, and those with higher personal monthly incomes strongly preferred fast-track schemes that utilised personal data. Our findings highlight the possibility of making more effective transitions to high-tech screening methods that meet the changing expectations of travellers if total screening time can be significantly decreased.

Preference of urban and rural older people in Shandong Province for long-term care insurance: based on discrete choice experiment.

Severe population ageing and weak long-term care support systems has spurred China's pilot program for long-term care insurance (LTCI). This study aimed to provide references for optimizing long-term care insurance policies in Shandong Province by measuring the preferences of urban and rural older people for LTCI. Based on the discrete choice experiment, a questionnaire survey was conducted on urban and rural older people from Shandong Province. A mixed logit model was used for data analysis and the relative importance of attributes, willingness to pay, and preference heterogeneity based on residence type, number of children, chronic conditions, gender, education level and financial situation were further estimated. The results showed that individual premium, reimbursement rate and whose provision of home-based care can be reimbursed had a significant effect on the LTCI preference of urban and rural older people in Shandong Province. Benefit package and government subsidy lost statistical significance in full sample but played a role in certain subgroups. There were also differences in preferences for individual premium among different groups of older people. Optimizing the policy design of long-term care insurance based on the actual needs of the older adults can help increase the utility of them and promote the smooth implementation of long-term care insurance.

Disaster risk reduction measures and farmers choices: a discrete choice experiment in Uganda

ABSTRACT Climate change induces high and erratic rainfall which triggers landslides and floods. With the increasing population and food needs, households in mountainous, densely populated areas turn fragile ecosystems into farms. This exacerbates landslide and flood risks requiring Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) measures. Tree planting and diversion channels are among the recommended measures for farmers but their adoption remains low. Current studies assessing barriers to adoption ignore farmers’ opinions regarding the kind of trees or diversion channels preferred. We apply a Discrete Choice Experiment to evaluate how information delivered through videos impacts preferences for the DRR measures. Plot-level data were collected from 319 farmers from Kasese, Bundibugyo, Bushenyi and Buhweju in Uganda – districts prone to landslides and floods. The mixed logit model reveals a general preference for risk-reducing attributes of DRR measures. Using the conditional logit model to analyze split samples reveals that information influences preferences for tree planting, while preferences for diversion channels were hardly changed. Plot characteristics did not strongly explain the differences in preferences. Our study indicates that information specific to DRR measures in extension programmes would increase the adoption of such measures.

Urban-rural differences in preferences for traditional Chinese medicine services among chronic disease patients: a discrete choice experiment

BackgroundWith the increasing prevalence of chronic diseases, the demand for medical services from chronic disease patients has become diversified and personalized. The advantages and role of traditional Chinese medicine in the prevention and treatment of chronic diseases gradually emerging. The preferences and willingness to pay for traditional Chinese medicine services (TCMS) among patients with chronic diseases, as well as any disparities between urban and rural patients, have not been examined in past studies.ObjectiveThis study aimed to investigate the preferences of chronic disease patients for TCMS, explore the value/importance that patients place on different treatment attributes, and evaluate whether there are urban-rural differences in their preferences and willingness to pay for TCMS.MethodsA total of 317 patients from Jiangsu Province, China participated in a discrete choice experiment that elicited the preferences for TCMS. The choice questions were constructed by six attributes: out-of-pocket (OOP) cost, institution, medical provider, treatment method, treatment duration, treatment efficacy. Mixed logit models were used to estimate the stated preference and marginal willingness to pay for each attribute.ResultsThe choice preferences of chronic disease patients for TCMS in this study were influenced by the four attributes: institution, treatment method, and treatment efficacy, and OOP cost. Improvements in treatment efficacy were the most concerning, followed by being treated in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) hospital. Patients were willing to pay more to get better treatment outcomes. Compared with primary care institutions, patients were willing to pay more for treatment in TCM hospitals. The preferences for economic attribute (OOP cost) varied between urban and rural areas, and rural patients tended to favor scenarios that imposed a lower economic burden on them.ConclusionThe chronic disease patients’ preferences for TCMS were determined mainly by treatment efficacy but also by institution, treatment method and OOP cost. The urban-rural difference in preference identified in this study highlights that effective policy interventions should consider the characteristics of patients’ demand in different regions.

Preferences of patients with multiple chronic diseases for medication in rural areas of an Eastern Province China: a discrete choice experiment.

Multiple Chronic Diseases (MCD) are the co-occurrence of two or more chronic conditions within an individual. Compared to patients with a single chronic disease, those with MCD face challenges related to polypharmacy, which increases the risk of adverse drug events, side effects, and drug-drug interactions. Understanding the specific medication preferences of patients with MCD is crucial to optimize treatment plans and enhance treatment safety. This study aims to evaluate the medication preferences among patients with multiple chronic diseases in rural areas of an eastern province of China. A discrete choice experiment (DCE) was used to measure patients' medication preferences. According to literature research, expert panel discussions, and in-depth patient interviews, we identified six attributes: monthly out-of-pocket cost, onset speed of action, adverse effects, whether it is covered by health insurance, origin of medications, and types of medications. The conditional logit models (CLM) and mixed logit models (MIXL) were used to evaluate the choice data. Willingness to pay (WTP) was used to reflect the monetary value that patients were willing to pay or receive reimbursement after changes in different attribute levels. A total of 956 respondents were included in the analysis. Of which, 68.62% were female, with an average age of 68 years, and 65.89% had a Body Mass Index (BMI) greater than or equal to 24. Statistical significance was observed for all attributes (p < 0.001). The preferred medication for patients encompassed low monthly out-of-pocket costs, rapid onset of action, rare adverse effects, and a preference for Western medicine, health insurance-covered medication and domestic medication. The onset speed of action was a primary consideration for patients, who demonstrated a willingness to pay an additional CNY151.37 per month for a medication with a rapid onset of action. Rural patients with multiple chronic diseases preferred medications with rapid onset, rare adverse, Western medications, domestic medication, and health insurance-covered medication. Medical staff can effectively combine the Health Belief Model (HBM) to help patients with multiple chronic diseases improve their confidence and understanding of medication selection, to improve their health management.

Using stated preference methods to design gender-affirming long-acting PrEP programs for transgender and nonbinary adults.

Integrating gender-affirming care with biomedical HIV prevention could help address the disproportionate HIV risk experienced by transgender and nonbinary (trans) adults. This discrete choice experiment assesses and identifies the most important programming factors influencing the decisions of trans adults to use injectable long-acting HIV pre-exposure prophylaxes (LA-PrEP). From March to April 2023 n = 366 trans adults in Washington state chose between four different choice profiles that presented hypothetical programs (each comprised of 5 attributes with 4 levels). We analyzed ranked choice responses using a mixed rank-ordered logit model for main effects. Respondents preferred to receive LA-PrEP from a gender-affirming care provider and a co-prescription for both oral and injectable hormones. Trans adults strongly favored 12-month protection and injection in the upper arm. No strong preferences emerged surrounding the type of health facility offering the gender-affirming LA-PrEP program. Our findings show that integrating and leveraging gender-affirming health systems, inclusive of medical services such as hormone therapy, with HIV biomedical products like LA-PrEP is strongly preferred and influential to trans adults' decision to use LA-PrEP. Leveraging choice-based design experiments provides informative results for optimizing gender-affirming LA-PrEP programming tailored to trans adults.

Consumers’ Willingness to Pay for Attributes of Sustainability, Origin and Production Process in Raicilla

In recent years, consumer concern about the origin, process and environmental impact of food and beverages has increased significantly, due to sustainability and food safety issues. However, studies of consumers’ willingness to pay for these types of attributes in traditional agave distillates are scarce. In this article, a discrete choice experiment was carried out on a sample of Mexican Raicilla consumers (n = 300) to estimate their willingness to pay for attributes such as ecolabels, protections of origin and the production process; the analysis was performed using a mixed logit model. The results showed that consumers are willing to pay a higher price for a Raicilla that contains on the label the region of origin, the production process (ancestral or artisanal), that has some legal-economic protection, such as geographical indication or designation of origin, and certifications in water management and organic production. The methodology of discrete choice experiments made it possible to jointly evaluate the extrinsic attributes in the willingness to pay for a traditional agave distillate, allowing its influence on the decision to purchase to be determined.

Assessing Tourists' Willingness to Pay for Community-Based Ecotourism: Enhancing Sustainability and Local Involvement

Malaysia’s captivating attractions are increasingly promoted through community-based ecotourism (CBE) initiatives. These efforts aim to empower local communities, conserve nature, and generate income by involving locals in managing ecotourism resources and activities, ensuring both economic benefits and sustainability of protected environments. CBE highlights diverse customs and cultures, enhancing ecotourism experiences through local resources. Understanding tourists' attitudes and preferences is crucial for developing sustainable cultural tourism packages. Key inquiries involve measuring local community participation, artistic elements, and tourism offerings in CBE management around protected parks. Evaluating tourism preferences and willingness to pay (WTP) for attributes provided by local businesses is essential for effective CBE management strategies in rural areas. This study employs the Choice Experiment model to analyze tourists' preferences for CBE activities and their marginal willingness to pay (MWTP) for management attributes at Min House Camp (MHC) in Kubang Kerian, Kelantan. The attributes examined include local community involvement, activity packages, accommodation facilities, and information provided. The study found 'super' package activity, increased local participation and employment, excellent accommodation, and adequate information to be the most important attributes. The study suggests that business owners and local managers adopt the CBE concept and focus on the key qualities that have been identified. Local communities and stakeholders should implement new tour packages at MHC, combining desirable features to meet market demand. Future studies could use a mixed logit model to account for multiple attributes of community ecotourism tours in protected parks.

Residents' perceptions of what makes feedback valuable in workplace-based learning: A discrete choice experiment.

Research on feedback has shifted emphasis away from its 'delivery' to consideration of the interaction between individual learners and their 'feedback provider'. The complexity inherent in determining whether feedback is perceived as valuable by learners, however, can quickly overwhelm educators if every interaction must be considered completely idiosyncratic. We, therefore, require a better understanding of variability in the ways in which feedback is perceived. To that end, we ran a discrete choice experiment aimed at determining residents' preferences and whether discernible patterns exist across learners regarding factors that influence perceptions of feedback's learning value. We performed a discrete choice experiment in which respondents were asked to read a clinical case and select repetitively between two feedback scenarios that differed according to six attributes identified from the literature as influencing feedback credibility: Dialogue, Focus, Relationship, Situation, Source and Valence. By systematically varying the levels of each attribute contained in the scenarios and asking residents to choose which from each pair they deemed more valuable for learning, a mixed logit model and latent class analysis could be applied to determine learners' feedback preferences and whether clusters of preference exist. Ninety-five elderly care medicine residents in the Netherlands completed the questionnaire. Their responses indicated that Valence, Dialogue, Relationship and Focus each accounted for about 20% of their preferences regarding the type of feedback perceived to offer the most learning value. Source and Situation were less influential, each accounting for 11% of the choices made. A latent class model with three clusters of respondents best accounted for the heterogeneity in feedback preferences. A total of 62% of respondents could be assigned to one of the three profiles with at least 80% probability. None of the respondents' characteristics (seniority, residency programme nor sex) were related to the feedback preference profile. Our findings suggest that 'how' feedback is provided has a greater influence on perceived learning value than who provides it. That said, variability exists in resident perceptions with no evidence (as yet) of factors that predict individual preferences. As such, tailoring to the needs and reactions of individual learners is likely to require open and ongoing conversations, and we recommend using the learner profiles generated through this study as a starting point because they provide classifications that could facilitate effective connections for the majority of residents.

The Influence of Risk Perceptions on Consumers’ Willingness to Pay for Nutrient-enhanced Microgreens

Microgreens are young plants used as ingredients and flavoring in various dishes. Their production time is short, and their production methods can be altered to enhance the nutritional content. To date, consumers’ preferences for microgreens that display different esthetic and nonesthetic traits have not been addressed. Additionally, consumers’ perceived risk of production methods used to enhance nutrition has not been investigated. An online survey and choice experiment involving a sample of 821 consumers in Tennessee were performed to investigate these topics. A mixed logit model was used to analyze the data. Both esthetic and nonesthetic traits influenced the consumers’ preferences. Green microgreens were preferred and valued more than light or dark purple microgreens. When fertilizer was used during production to enhance nutrients, consumers perceived the microgreens as riskier to the environment and for personal consumption relative to microgreens with light-induced nutrient enhancement. Using lighting during production to enhance nutrients generated a $0.47 to $0.79 premium relative to no nutrient enhancement. In general, if participants’ perceived risk aligned with the nutrient enhancement attribute (i.e., light, fertilizer), then their willingness to pay for the microgreens decreased. This was amplified for the fertilizer nutrient enhancement attribute more than it was for the light enhancement attribute. In-state production and microgreen height also impacted consumer preferences for microgreens.

Plant the pot! Understanding consumer willingness to pay for sustainability in garden shop products

This study explores consumer preferences for various sustainability attributes in gardening pots using a discrete choice experiment. Data were collected from 499 respondents in garden shops across Milan and Monza, Italy. The study examines different aspects of sustainability, focusing on attributes that influence consumer purchasing decisions, such as the use of renewable energy, recycled material usage, ethical certification, and end-of-life options (recyclable, reusable, and biodegradable pots). The primary objectives are to determine consumers' preferences and the relative importance of these sustainability attributes in gardening pots and assess the impact of educational information on these preferences and willingness to pay. A mixed logit model is employed to capture the variations in preferences across the entire sample, providing a detailed analysis of the average willingness to pay for each sustainability attribute. A latent class model aimed to identify distinct segments within the sample, revealing specific groups of consumers with unique preference patterns and varying monetary evaluations for sustainable features. The results indicate strong preferences for reusable and recyclable pots, followed by biodegradable options and products made with recycled materials. Additionally, providing consumers with educational information about the environmental impacts of plastic pots significantly influenced their preferences and willingness to pay. This study contributes to the body of knowledge by offering detailed insights into consumer behaviour towards sustainable gardening products and their relative importance and providing actionable recommendations for policymakers and marketers to foster sustainable consumption practices.

Nurses' preferences for working in Uber-style ‘Internet plus’ nursing services: A discrete choice experiment

BackgroundChina's ‘Internet Plus’ nursing services, which are Uber-style home care services with an ‘online application, offline service’ approach, have been evolving over the past five years. Registered nurses' preference for these Uber-style Internet Plus nursing services are crucial for improving human resource management and service efficiency, yet research in this area remains scarce. ObjectiveThis study aimed to explore registered nurses' preferences for Uber-style Internet Plus nursing services and provide optimization recommendations from a supply-side perspective. DesignA cross-sectional study utilising a discrete choice experiment. Setting(s)Two public tertiary hospitals located in Tianjin, China, which have implemented Internet Plus nursing services. Participants211 registered nurses who participated in Internet Plus nursing services. MethodsThe survey was conducted anonymously using an online survey platform. Respondents were presented with choices between two alternatives, based on five key attributes: income, safety and security, patient and family cooperation, commute time, and service type. Mixed logit models estimated the stated preferences for attributes. Relative importance scores, willingness-to-pay estimates, and simulations of service-type uptake rates were calculated. Subgroup analysis and seemingly unrelated regression estimation were performed to examine heterogeneity in preferences. ResultsA total of 3202 choice observations were generated. When sorted by the strength of preference, the five attributes related to registered nurses' choice of Uber-style Internet Plus nursing services, measured by their relative importance scores, are as follows: safety and security (30.89 %), income (27.41 %), patient and family cooperation (18.47 %), service type (11.96 %), and commuting time (11.27 %). Elevating safety and security from low to high levels has the same utility as a 31.81 % increase in monthly income, equivalent to 2586.14 yuan. Subgroup analysis showed that senior nurses place more value on safety and security than junior nurses (β = 1.421 vs.β = 0.725; P = 0.011), and unmarried nurses had a stronger preference for family and caregiver cooperation (β = 1.105 vs.β = 0.314; P = 0.023). ConclusionsThe strength and heterogeneity of registered nurses' preferences should be highlighted in the dispatch algorithms model of Uber-style Internet Plus nursing services, thereby enhancing the efficiency and humanity of Uber-style Internet Plus nursing services. Tweetable abstractRegistered nurses prioritise safety and security, acknowledging heterogeneous preferences in Uber-style Internet Plus nursing services.