Propensity Score Matching Techniques Research Articles

Does biogas technology adoption improve the livelihood and income level of rural people?

ABSTRACT This study elucidated the effects of biogas technology adoption on income and livelihood in rural areas of Bangladesh using Propensity Score Matching (PSM) techniques and the Logit Regression Model respectively. A total of 80 biogas adopters and non-adopters were selected from Bangladesh using Simple Random Sampling technique. The results exposed that the income of biogas adopters is noticeably higher than that of biogas non-adopters. The availability of customers and time saving for other activities exerted positively significant influences on the biogas adopters’ livelihood. The rise in number of cattle and fuel costs are positively related to biogas plant adoption.

The Benefits of Living on Campus for Low-Income, First-Generation Students’ Belonging, Perceptions of Campus Climate, and Resilience

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of living on campus for first-year, first-generation students from low-income backgrounds. Using propensity score matching techniques with Multi-Institutional Study of Leadership survey data (n = 642) drawn from four-year colleges and universities, we found that first-year, first-generation students from low-income backgrounds who lived on campus had a significantly higher sense of belonging, a more welcoming perception of campus climate, and higher resilience compared to a group of matched peers who did not live on campus.

Health, work, and contributing factors on life satisfaction: A study in Norway before and during the COVID-19 pandemic

BackgroundThe COVID-19 outbreak has posed considerable challenges for people's health, work situations and life satisfaction. This article reports on a study of the relationship between self-reported health and life satisfaction before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in Norway, and examines the role of work in explaining the health–life satisfaction relationship.MethodThe study was based on survey data collected from 3185 Norwegian employees in 2019 and 3002 employees in 2020. Propensity score matching techniques were used to assess the mediating effects of work situations and income loss on the health–life satisfaction relationship. Skew-t regression models were further applied to estimate changes in life satisfaction before and during the pandemic, as well as to explore different underlying mechanisms for the health–life satisfaction association.ResultsThe study found a negative association between ill health and life satisfaction. Compared to the healthy population, people with poor health were more likely to experience worsened work situations. A negative work situation is further associated with lower life satisfaction, and the pandemic aggravated life satisfaction for those who had worsened work situations. When exploring central contributing factors for life satisfaction, we found that health-related risks and work-life balance played predominant roles in predicting life satisfaction before the pandemic, while different types of household structure were among the most important predictors of life satisfaction during the pandemic.ConclusionA reduction in life satisfaction is explained by ill health, but different underlying mechanisms facilitated people's life satisfaction before and during the pandemic. While work situation and health risks were important predictors for life satisfaction in 2019, worries about more unstable work situations and less access to family support accentuated worsened life satisfaction in 2020. The findings suggest the necessity of labour market interventions that address the security and maintenance of proper and predictable work situations, especially in these more uncertain times.

Agricultural commercialisation, poverty reduction and pro-poor growth: evidence from commercial agricultural development project in Nigeria

Commercial Agriculture Development is widely seen as a pathway to agriculture commercialization, poverty reduction and pro-poor growth in developing economies. Using a counterfactual approach, this study assessed the impact of the Commercial Agricultural Development Project (CADP) in Nigeria on poverty status of beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries; determine its impact on commercialization of beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries and ascertain the pro-poor impact of the Project. Data from 1199 households comprising 678 beneficiaries and 521 non-beneficiaries were used for analysis. Propensity score matching was used to select comparable observations which reduced the sample size to 1142 observations: 655 beneficiaries, 487 non-beneficiaries. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, propensity score matching technique, Foster-Greer-Thorbecke (FGT) poverty measures, Average Treatment effect on the Treated (ATT) and Poverty equivalent growth rate (PEGR) pro-poor measure. FGT poverty indices were lower for CADP Beneficiaries than the non-beneficiaries. The impact of the CADP on poverty using the income of beneficiaries as proxy showed that those who participated in CADP had their income increased by N446,073.89 ($ 1,239.09) and were better off in terms of their welfare compared to those who did not participate in the program. For the impact on commercialization, the programme led to a statistically significant increase in the commercialization index of beneficiaries. Also the PEGR for non-beneficiaries was higher than the actual growth rate while that of beneficiaries was less than the actual growth rate implying that CADP was not pro-poor. The study concludes that even though the CADP impacted the poverty level of beneficiaries positively, it was not pro-poor hence there is a need to ensure that the poor are effectively targeted in designing development intervention programmes.

Autologous stem cell transplantation improve the survival of newly diagnosed multiple myeloma patients

目的评估自体造血干细胞移植（auto-HSCT）对初治多发性骨髓瘤（MM）疗效及生存的影响。方法回顾性分析2008年10月1日至2019年10月1日243例65岁以下接受auto-HSCT的初治MM患者，同时以同期176例≤65岁适合移植但未进行auto-HSCT的初治MM患者作为对照，评估auto-HSCT对患者疗效及生存的影响。为平衡auto-HSCT和非auto-HSCT患者之间各因素的分布，利用倾向性评分匹配技术按照1∶1比例匹配以减少组间的偏差。结果通过倾向性评分匹配分析，共筛选出128例患者（每组64例）。64例患者诱导治疗后接受auto-HSCT，24例（37.5％）获得严格意义的完全缓解（sCR），16例（25.0％）获得完全缓解（CR），15例（23.4％）获得非常好的部分缓解（VGPR），9例（14.1％）获得部分缓解（PR），auto-HSCT组疗效明显优于非auto-HSCT组（P＝0.032）。与非auto-HSCT组相比，auto-HSCT组总生存（OS）和无进展生存（PFS）期明显延长［OS：87.6（95％ CI 57.3～117.9）个月对53.9（95％ CI 36.1～71.7）个月，P＝0.011；PFS：42.2（95％ CI 29.9～54.5）个月对22.4（95％ CI 17.1～27.7）个月，P＝0.007］。多因素分析显示auto-HSCT是OS（HR＝0.448，95％CI 0.260～0.771，P＝0.004）和PFS（HR＝0.446，95％CI 0.280～0.778，P＝0.003）的独立保护因素。结论auto-HSCT可改善适合移植初治MM患者的OS和PFS。

Does Food Price Subsidy Affect Dietary Diversity? Evidence from South India

The present study has tried to address the impact of subsidised rice distribution through the public distribution system on dietary diversity and nutrition intake in the state of Tamil Nadu in India as the state is considered a pioneer in introducing a number of food security programmes in India. We used National Sample Survey Organisation’s data for the years 2004-05 and 2011-12, and the propensity score matching technique to estimate the actual impact of the subsidy programme on food consumption patterns and nutrient intake, as the data-set used for analysis was subjected to non-randomisation and selection bias. The estimated results reveal that the subsidy on rice has significantly and positively impacted food consumption and nutritional intake across households, irrespective of income groups. The increased purchasing power of the poor due to the subsidy is limited to the staple food commodities—rice, millets, pulses and vegetables—whereas middle- and high-income households are more likely to consume high-value commodities such as fruits, processed food and livestock products, with a resultant higher gain in fat and calcium. Our study indicates that extending the price subsidy to nutritious foods, besides rice can help the poor diversify their diets towards healthy and nutrient-rich foods. JEL Codes: C5, C54, D01, D11, D12, Q11, Q18

COFFEE CERTIFICATION PARTICIPATION AND ITS IMPACT ON SMALLHOLDER FARMERS’ INCOME IN JIMMA ZONE, SOUTHWESTERN ETHIOPIA

Certification is an instrument to add value to a product, and it addresses a growing worldwide demand for healthier and more socially and environmentally friendly products. Globally, coffee certification has received strong recognition as it is proved to increase smallholder farmers’ access to input and output markets, production, productivity and income. This study investigates the major determinants of coffee certification participation. It also analyzes the welfare gains of participation in the certification schemes by smallholder coffee growers. Both primary and secondary data were used. Primary data were collected from randomly selected 247 coffee producers. Structured questionnaires, focus group discussions and key informant interviews were employed to collect the primary data. Descriptive statistics and econometric models were used for data analysis. Probit model was used to identify factors affecting participation in coffee certification schemes. Propensity score matching technique was used to estimate the impact of coffee certification participation on smallholders’ annual revenue from coffee production. The probit model result revealed that access to training, family size, land size owned, experience in coffee production, education status were significantly determined the smallholders farmers’ participation decision in coffee certification. The propensity score matching model result also shows that participation in coffee certification significantly (p=0.001) improved farmers’ annual revenue by 2,902 Ethiopian birr compared to selling coffee without the certification schemes. This income impact is mainly attributed to the premium price the certification offer to farmers for high quality coffee. Therefore, policies or projects related to coffee value chains should target improving farmers’ access to training, boosting the access to education, working on farmers’ productivity and increasing their technical knowhow on coffee certification to increase farmers’ participation in coffee certification and to improve their annual revenue earning level in the study area.

Risk disclosures and firm value: the role of governance in an emerging market

PurposeThe objective of this paper is to investigate the impact of risk disclosures on firm value. We further investigate whether effective governance moderates the relation between risk disclosures and firm value.Design/methodology/approachWe use a sample of the top 200 Indian listed firms on NSE from 2013 to 2018. The generalised method of moments (GMM) along with the ordinary least square (OLS) is used to investigate our research problem. Further, we use the Propensity Score Matching (PSM) technique and the Heckman selection model for correcting selection bias in the robustness section.FindingsWe find that higher risk disclosures result in lower firm value. Besides, we show that better governance minimizes the negative impact of risk disclosures on firm value. This finding encourages firms to have a good governance mechanism to mitigate the adverse effects of risk disclosures in public.Originality/valueThe main contribution of our paper is to examine the moderating effect of governance between risk disclosures in the annual report and firm value (market-based and accounting-based) in the context of an emerging economy. Moreover, the paper highlights the potential moderating effect of independent directors and resourceful boards on the risk disclosures and firm value in the Indian context.

Impact of a Contract Farming Scheme on Income, Food Security, and Nutrition among Maize Farmers in North Western, Nigeria

Background: The study examined the impact of a contract farming scheme on the farmers’ income, food security, and nutrition. Methods: Simple random sampling was used to select 100 respondents for the study. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics as well the Propensity Score Matching technique. Results: The major determinants of participation in contract farming included commercialization index, distance from the collection center, and total labor available in the household. The average treatment effect on the treated, the average effect of the treatment, and the average treatment on the untreated shows that contract farming will enhance the income from Maize production by ₦50234.8 ($131.79)/hectare, ₦37170.8 ($97.53)/hectare, and ₦28809.8 ($75.59)/hectare respectively. Conclusion: Contract farming participation can affect farming households negatively if food security concerns are not considered into the contract farming agreements.

The child support grant and childbearing in South Africa: is there a case for a basic income grant?

This is the first study in South Africa analysing the impact of the child support grant (CSG) on higher-order fertility behaviour based on a nationally representative dataset. The study uses the fifth wave of national income dynamics study (NIDS) survey data covering women from age 15 to 58 years to undertake the propensity score matching technique to ascertain whether the CSG grant drives fertility behaviour. The findings indicate that, while the CSG does not have a significant impact on fertility rates among teen mothers, older mothers from the age of 20 upwards to 58 years receiving the CSG have significantly more children compared to those that do not receive the grant, even after controlling for other relevant precursors and factoring in self-selection issues. This study underscores the need to consider the perverse incentives while designing social policy.

Gender wage discrimination in Brazil from 1996 to 2015: A matching analysis

The discriminatory component of the gender wage gap was found to be significant and to decrease over time by previous studies, most of them based on the Oaxaca-Blinder decomposition (OBD). Such evidence is disputable for being grounded on the assumption of full common support between men and women, which has been increasingly refuted by international literature. Seeking to fill this gap for the case of Brazil, the paper revisits household survey data from 1996 to 2015 with propensity score (PS) and nearest-neighbour (NN) matching techniques. As results, the discriminatory component was confirmed to be significant in all years and not to follow a systematic decaying trend across the years – the fall observed from 1996 to 2004 was offset in 65% by a subsequent increase. Gender discrimination was heterogeneous throughout occupational categories, being especially high in management positions. Estimates, albeit belonging to the range of previous studies, also challenged the gap closing trend suggested by these studies. Given ongoing recession and high informality, it is uncertain whether further progress towards gender wage equality in Brazil will emerge spontaneously from the private sector or whether specific policy is needed.

Does it matter where you export and does productivity rise with exporting?

Utilizing a comprehensive dataset for Turkish manufacturing firms, we analyse differentials in the post-entry effects on productivity of exporting to markets with different income levels. We employ propensity score matching techniques with multiple treatments, together with a differences-in-differences (DiD) methodology. Controlling for firm level mark-ups, we explore whether the post-entry effects on productivity are driven by changes in physical productivity. The results confirm the learning-by-exporting hypothesis, and suggest physical productivity gains, in particular for exports to high income countries as opposed to middle low-income countries, even after controlling for the composition of exports. This suggests that where a firm export does matter for productivity growth.

Impact of agricultural credit access on agricultural productivity among maize and rice smallholder farmers in Rwanda

This paper assesses the impact of access to agricultural credit on the agricultural productivity of 422 smallholder farmers that cultivate maize or rice in the Western and Eastern province of Rwanda. Stratified, simple random and convenience sampling techniques were used to sample districts, sectors, cells and households. Data were collected using structured interviews and analyzed using propensity score matching techniques. Results indicated that productivity was higher by 44% among the farmers who accessed credit implying that they harvested on average an extra 440 kilograms of maize or rice. According to a crop-specific analysis, agricultural credit access had a more significant impact on maize productivity, with a difference in proportion of 68% (p = 0.000) but had no impact on rice productivity (p = 0.149). The study concludes that agricultural credit was important for Rwanda’s agricultural productivity. Thus policy measures should aim at improving smallholder farmers’ access to agricultural credit and promoting the use of modern agricultural inputs, particularly among rice farmers in Rwanda

First-line antiepileptic drug treatment in glioma patients with epilepsy: Levetiracetam vs valproic acid.

ObjectiveThis study aimed at estimating the cumulative incidence of antiepileptic drug (AED) treatment failure of first‐line monotherapy levetiracetam vs valproic acid in glioma patients with epilepsy.MethodsIn this retrospective observational study, a competing risks model was used to estimate the cumulative incidence of treatment failure, from AED treatment initiation, for the two AEDs with death as a competing event. Patients were matched on baseline covariates potentially related to treatment assignment and outcomes of interest according to the nearest neighbor propensity score matching technique. Maximum duration of follow‐up was 36 months.ResultsIn total, 776 patients using levetiracetam and 659 using valproic acid were identified. Matching resulted in two equal groups of 429 patients, with similar covariate distribution. The cumulative incidence of treatment failure for any reason was significantly lower for levetiracetam compared to valproic acid (12 months: 33% [95% confidence interval (CI) 29%–38%] vs 50% [95% CI 45%–55%]; P < .001). When looking at specific reasons of treatment failure, treatment failure due to uncontrolled seizures was significantly lower for levetiracetam compared to valproic acid (12 months: 16% [95% CI 12%–19%] vs 28% [95% CI 23%–32%]; P < 0.001), but no differences were found for treatment failure due to adverse effects (12 months: 14% [95% CI 11%–18%] vs 15% [95% CI 11%–18%]; P = .636).SignificanceOur results suggest that levetiracetam may have favorable efficacy compared to valproic acid, whereas level of toxicity seems similar. Therefore, levetiracetam seems to be the preferred choice for first‐line AED treatment in patients with glioma.

Group Meeting Frequency and Borrowers’ Repayment Performance in Microfinance: Evidence from a Quasi-natural Experiment in South Africa

Abstract A quasi-natural experiment has been carried out at The Small Enterprise Foundation, a South African microfinance institution offering group lending with joint liability. In a pilot project, the frequency of meetings was reduced from fortnightly to monthly and the members of the groups were no more required to attend all the meetings but they could send a representative. After selecting a suitable control group using propensity score matching techniques, we ran difference-in-difference regressions to evaluate the impact of the policy changes. Estimates suggest that the pilot project increased loan repayment delays and decreased groups’ deposits, but it had a negligible impact on groups’ savings balances. Text mining techniques, applied to survey data, pointed towards the lack of trust within the groups whose members did not meet frequently outside the repayment meetings as one of the causes of the negative outcomes of the pilot experiment. We conclude that group meetings are an effective tool to stimulate the accumulation of social capital among microcredit borrowers.

Does internet use improve technical efficiency of banana production in China? Evidence from a selectivity-corrected analysis

Although many studies have analyzed the Internet use effects on farm performance and rural development, little is known about the relationship between Internet use and technical efficiency (TE) of crop production. This paper fills the gap by analyzing the impact of Internet use on the TE of banana production in China, using an innovative approach that combines a propensity score matching technique with Greene’s (2010) selectivity-corrected stochastic frontier model to address selectivity bias. We employ both the fractional regression (FR) model and the unconditional quantile regression (UQR) model to, respectively, investigate the homogeneous and heterogeneous TE effects of Internet use and other control variables. After correcting for selectivity bias stemming from both observed and unobserved factors, we show that the TE scores of Internet users and nonusers are 0.571 and 0.537, respectively. The results of the FR model show that Internet use exerts a homogeneous positive impact on TE of banana production. In contrast, the UQR results reveal that TE effects of Internet use are heterogeneous, and the Internet users at the lower TE quantiles receive higher TE than their counterparts at higher TE quantiles. Our findings underscore the importance of promoting Internet use in rural areas to boost farm performance.

IMPACT OF ISLAMIC BANKING INCLUSION ON SME EMPLOYMENT GROWTH IN NIGERIA

Despite the considerable resources devoted to SMEs by Islamic banks worldwide, and Nigeria in particular, there has been no rigorous empirical evidence regarding the effectiveness of Islamic banking inclusion on employment growth in SMEs globally. This study fills this gap by analysing the effectiveness of access to Islamic banking financing in promoting MSME's growth in Kano Metropolis, Nigeria. We focus on the impact of the credit lines facilitated by Jaiz Bank Plc in fostering firms’ growth measured in terms of employment. A survey based on a quasi- experimental approach was employed and the data were collected by means of a questionnaire distributed to a sample of 385 MSMEs' beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries of Islamic bank financing in Kano Metropolis, Nigeria. Using difference-in-difference and propensity score matching techniques to deal with selection bias, the study found significant positive effects on MSMEs’ employment growth. In addition, the paper highlights the important role of Islamic bank financing in mitigating the unemployment crisis in Nigeria. The paper recommends that improvement of the Islamic banking system by employing PLS financing, especially Musharaka, could foster MSMEs' financial inclusion and job creation.

Widow, deserted, and destitute women allowances and rural female labor force participation in Bangladesh: Linking social protection to the Sustainable Development Goals

In developing countries, often a major segment of the population is characterized as poor. Thus, social protection programs play a crucial role in facilitating the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) agenda across these nations. Among the several socioeconomic benefits associated with the social safety net programs, the impacts on female labor force participation are vital from the perspectives of enhancing women empowerment and welfare. Against this backdrop, this paper aims to evaluate the impacts of social transfers under the “allowances for the widow, deserted, and destitute women” social protection program on the rural female labor force participation responses in Bangladesh. The overall results from the probit, IV‐probit, and propensity score matching techniques provide statistical evidence regarding the cash transfers acting as a “mini‐push” to nudge greater participation of the beneficiary women in the labor force. Moreover, the cash transfers are also found to positively influence the labor force participation decisions of the other female members within the households of the program beneficiaries. Besides, the female labor force participation decisions are evidenced to be heterogeneous across the age cohorts, marital statuses, and the gender of the household head. In line with the major findings from the analyses, some key policy interventions are recommended.

Renin-Angiotensin System Inhibitors Prognostic Benefit in Older Patients with Atrial Fibrillation

ObjectivesAngiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEi) and angiotensin-receptor blockers (ARB) have shown antiarrhythmic effects that are useful as part of the upstream therapy for atrial fibrillation (AF), both for primary and secondary prevention. Nevertheless, the potential prognosis value of these drugs in terms of mortality and major cardiovascular events is unclear, especially in older population with AF. Scientific evidence is scarce in this population and shows contradictory results. The aim of this study was to assess the potential benefit of ACEi and ARB in terms of mortality and major cardiovascular outcomes (hospitalization for heart failure, acute myocardial infarction and stroke) in older patients with AF, based on a real-world data analysis. DesignObservational: analysis of a retrospective registry. Settings and ParticipantsThe study included 9365 patients of 75 years or older diagnosed with AF, from CardioCHUVI-AF_75 registry: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04364516. Date of registration: November 26, 2018. MethodsWe performed propensity score matching techniques to obtain 2 comparable groups of 3601 patients with and without ACEi or ARB treatment. We compared survival and cardiovascular outcomes in both groups of patients using Cox proportional hazards models. ResultsWe did not find significant differences in terms of survival between using or not using ACEi or ARB for the older population (hazard ratio for mortality: 0.959, 95% confidence interval 0.872–1.054). There were no significant differences regarding cardiovascular major events between the 2 groups. Conclusions and ImplicationsTreatment with ACEi or ARB did not improve outcomes in terms of survival and cardiovascular events in older patients with AF. These results should prompt the conduct of randomized clinical trials specifically in the older AF patient population to robustly address this issue.

Crop diversification: determinants and effects under paddy-dominated cropping system

Farm and crop diversification is an important farm business strategy from the viewpoint of avoiding uncertain crop failures and loss of income, intensive cultivation of a single crop such as rice and wheat, indiscriminate use of chemical inputs and ensuring farm sustainability. However, the question remains whether farm diversification helps farmers reduce the extent of input use and cost with an improvement in farm income and welfare. Therefore, the present study aimed at examining the impact of crop diversification under the paddy-dominated farming system in India using national level farm household data pertaining to the year 2012–2013. We used propensity score matching technique for estimating the actual impact of crop diversification on the farm income and input use pattern. The study results show that crop diversification has significantly increased yield of paddy, farm income and reduced cost on labour, machinery and irrigation under paddy-dominated cropping system.