Doctoral Dissertation Research in Economics: Risks, Health, and Economic Development: Examining Households' Malaria Control Decisions in Tanzania

风险、健康和经济发展：检查坦桑尼亚的家庭决策国际：Randall Kramer Co-Pi：Katherine Dickinson Proposal 0720981 ABSTRACT了解家庭为什么决定采用某些与健康有关的做法，以及哪些障碍可能会阻止采取潜在的有益行为，这对于理解经济发展过程至关重要。该项目在坦桑尼亚疟疾控制的背景下解决了这一问题，通过收集定量和定性数据，为家庭与健康有关的决策提供了一个有经验的经济学理论。在姆沃梅罗农村地区的10个村庄进行的家庭调查、焦点小组讨论和深入访谈涉及一系列影响因素的全面问题：1)家庭接触疟疾，2)为预防疟疾采取的措施，3)求医行为。除了描述家庭正在做什么之外，这项研究还询问了为什么家庭参与某些与疟疾有关的活动。探讨的关键因素包括对疟疾风险和传播机制的了解，影响疟疾治疗和控制成本和效益的经济条件，以及家庭社会网络在塑造规范和行为方面的作用。定量数据分析估计预防和控制行为(例如，使用蚊帐)与上述因素之间的关系。其他定性分析侧重于描述和解释家庭所表达的一系列优先事项。特别是，这里采取的方法认识到疟疾只是家庭面临的许多健康、社会和经济挑战之一，并探索疟疾控制作为家庭活动和行为的一部分所起的作用。最后，这项研究评估了参与性社区活动对家庭知识和行为的影响，确定了这种活动作为有效控制疟疾的“工具”的潜力。更广泛地说，这里提出的研究建立在之前对家庭健康相关行为和风险接受程度的微观经济学研究的基础上。它同时考察了多种风险，并解决了社交网络等因素如何影响家庭决策的问题，从而增加了一个新的视角。这项研究揭示了影响经济发展的关键因素，并有助于指导受影响地区的政策制定者采取更有效的干预措施。

Risks, Health and Economic Development: Examining Household Decisions in TanzaniaPI: Randall Kramer Co-PI: Katherine DickinsonProposal 0720981ABSTRACTUnderstanding why households decide to adopt certain health-related practices, and what barriers may prevent the adoption of potentially beneficial behaviors, is crucial for understanding the process of economic development. This project addresses this question in the context of malaria control in Tanzania, informing an empirically-grounded economic theory of households' health-related decisions through both quantitative and qualitative data collection. Household surveys, focus group discussions, and in-depth interviews conducted in 10 villages in rural Mvomero District address a comprehensive set of questions regarding factors influencing: 1) households' exposure to malaria, 2) measures taken to prevent malaria, and 3) treatment-seeking behaviors. In addition to describing what households are doing, this research asks why households engage in certain malaria-related activities. Key factors that are explored include knowledge of the malaria risk and transmission mechanisms, economic conditions influencing costs and benefits of malaria treatment and control, and the role of households' social networks in shaping norms and behaviors. Quantitative data analyses estimate relationships between prevention and control behaviors (e.g., use of bed nets) and the factors outlined above. Additional qualitative analyses focus on describing and explaining the set of priorities that households express. In particular, the approach taken here recognizes that malaria is only one of many health, social, and economic challenges households face, and explores the role of malaria control as part of a household's "portfolio" of activities and behaviors. Finally, this research evaluates the impacts of a participatory community activity on households' knowledge and behaviors, determining the potential for this kind of activity to act as an effective malaria control "tool." More broadly, the research proposed here builds on previous microeconomic studies of households' health-related behavior and acceptance of risks. It adds a new perspective by examining multiple risks simultaneously and addressing how factors such as social networks influence household decisions. This research sheds light on key factors affecting economic development and could help guide policy makers in the affected areas toward more effective interventions.