Jane Kolodinsky

The adoption of electronic banking technologies by US consumers

Is there an electronic banking (e‐banking) revolution in the USA? Millions of Americans are currently using a variety of e‐banking technologies and millions more are expected to come “online.” However, millions of others have not or will not. This paper explores factors that affect the of adoption or intention to adopt three e‐banking technologies and changes in these factors over time. Using a Federal Reserve Board commissioned data set, the paper finds that relative advantage, complexity/simplicity, compatibility, observability, risk tolerance, and product involvement are associated with adoption. Income, assets, education, gender and marital status, and age also affect adoption. Adoption changed over time, but the impacts of other factors on adoption have not changed. Implications for both the banking industry and public policy are discussed.

Complaints, redress, and subsequent purchases of medical services by dissatisfied consumers

Consumer complaints about dissatisfactory medical services as a method to increase quality and competition in the medical industry are examined by using a block-recursive simultaneous equation model. The probability of complaining about a specific service, the number of complaints made about it, the probability of its resolution, and the probability of subsequently purchasing the same service are estimated. Variables that measure learning, constraints, attitude, and cost/benefits are included. Results indicate that the learning variables, represented by age, education, and gender, are most associated with the process of medical complaints. Overall findings indicate that placing the burden of controlling the costs and quality of medical services on the consumer is not viable given the current structure of the U.S. medical industry.ZusammenfassungVerbraucherbeschwerden wegen unzulänglicher ärztlicher Dienstleitungen werden als eine von mehreren Methoden zur Anhebung des Leistungsniveaus und zur Förderung des Wettbewerbs auf diesem Sektor angesehen. Der Beitrag prüft die Eignung dieser Methode anhand von Daten aus einer Stichprobe von 509 Haushalten. Geschätzt wurde dabei die Wahrscheinlichkeit einer Beschwerde über eine bestimmte ärztliche Leistung, die Zahl der Beschwerden, die Wahrscheinlichkeit ihrer befriedigenden Lösung und die Wahrscheinlichkeit einer wiederholten Inanspruchnahme derselben ärztlichen Leistung. Berücksichtigt wurden auΒerdem Variablen, die Lernprozesse, Hemmungen, Einstellungen und Nutzen/Kosten-Aspekte erfassen. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, daΒ die Variablen Alter, Erziehung und Geschlecht am engsten mit dem Vorgang der Beschwerde verbunden sind. Insgesamt zeigt sich, daΒ es angesichts der Struktur des amerikanischen Marktes für ärztliche Leistungen wenig aussichtsreich ist, die Aufgabe der Kontrolle von Kosten und Qualität ärztlicher Leistungen den Konsumenten aufzubürden.

Time Use and Food Pattern Influences on Obesity

The rise of obesity in the United States over the past 25 years has resulted in an increase in the number of research studies published related to the causes, consequences, and possible solutions to the problem. Most would agree that obesity is a multi‐dimensional problem that requires a range of solutions related to individual diet and activity, food and built environment, and public policy. Examination of complex relationships between food choice, time use patterns, sociodemographic characteristics and obesity has been limited by data availability and disciplinary focus. Using the theory of the production of health capital, this paper links empirical data from the Consumer Expenditure, Current Population, and American Time Use Surveys to provide estimates of the impacts of food expenditure and time use patterns on obesity in single female headed households of 31–50 years of age.

The Use of Nutritional Labels by College Students in a Food-Court Setting

Objective: Between January and September 2006, the authors examined when, why, if, and how nutrition labels impact food purchase decisions of college students. Participants: Participants were 16 college-aged students at a large northeastern university. Methods: As part of a larger study undertaken at a large northeastern university on the effect of nutrition labels in restaurant settings on food purchases, the authors held a focus group to look more deeply at when and why nutrition labeling impacted college student food purchases. Results: Although results of the large study are still being discerned, the focus group results reveal that college women and men were interested in the provision of nutrition labels in the food court-like setting found at the university, and that those exposed to labels over the course of the study noticed these labels and often referred to them when making purchase decisions. Additional findings reveal that price and convenience also play a role in food purchases and that, of those items listed on each label, calories and fat were most important to the study population. Conclusions: Although more research is needed, this qualitative study finds that students want nutrition labels and would use them to make food purchasing decisions.

The Effects of Volunteering for Nonprofit Organizations on Social Capital Formation: Evidence from a Statewide Survey

As membership in civic organizations declines in the United States, could volunteering for nonprofit organizations be an alternative source of social capital formation? After theoretically connecting volunteering with social capital using a household production framework, the authors then use a unique data set from Vermont to estimate the determinants of the probability of receiving a social capital benefit and the level of such a benefit. The probability of receiving a social capital benefit from ones most important nonprofit organization is increased: (a) if it is a religious or social service organization, (b) if one increases their volunteering for the organization, and (c) if one is female, college educated, or in a two-parent family. However, the relative magnitude of volunteering is similar, or relatively small, compared to the other significant determinants. An increase of volunteer hours does increase levels of social capital; however, the magnitude of this effect is also relatively small.

Mapping Farm-to-School Networks Implications for Research and Practice

In this article, the contemporary Farm-to-School movement is described as a system comprised of discrete actors operating at varying levels of geographic scale, social sector, and network function. Drawing on a literature review and case study research, the authors present and analyze a Farm-to-School network in Vermont as a series of relationships between network actors predicated on the flow of financial resources, whole and processed foods, information, and regulatory authority. Furthermore, the utility for using this map to critically examine the leverage points that may drive positive change within and across the system is discussed.

Willingness to pay for rBST-free milk: a two-limit Tobit model analysis

The labelling of dairy products containing milk from rBST-treated cows has rapidly emerged as an important issue in the US due to the controversy between state and federal legislation and between consumer and industrial groups. This paper evaluates consumer willingness to pay (WTP) for rBST-free milk using data collected from a consumer survey. Estimation results of a two-limit Tobit model suggest that a majority of consumers are willing to pay a premium for rBST-free milk and the WTP is affected by several sociodemographic factors such as income and attitudes toward the use of rBST.

Developing an agenda for research about policies to improve access to healthy foods in rural communities: a concept mapping study

BackgroundPolicies that improve access to healthy, affordable foods may improve population health and reduce health disparities. In the United States most food access policy research focuses on urban communities even though residents of rural communities face disproportionately higher risk for nutrition-related chronic diseases compared to residents of urban communities. The purpose of this study was to (1) identify the factors associated with access to healthy, affordable food in rural communities in the United States; and (2) prioritize a meaningful and feasible rural food policy research agenda.MethodsThis study was conducted by the Rural Food Access Workgroup (RFAWG), a workgroup facilitated by the Nutrition and Obesity Policy Research and Evaluation Network. A national sample of academic and non-academic researchers, public health and cooperative extension practitioners, and other experts who focus on rural food access and economic development was invited to complete a concept mapping process that included brainstorming the factors that are associated with rural food access, sorting and organizing the factors into similar domains, and rating the importance of policies and research to address these factors. As a last step, RFAWG members convened to interpret the data and establish research recommendations.ResultsSeventy-five participants in the brainstorming exercise represented the following sectors: non-extension research (n = 27), non-extension program administration (n = 18), “other” (n = 14), policy advocacy (n = 10), and cooperative extension service (n = 6). The brainstorming exercise generated 90 distinct statements about factors associated with rural food access in the United States; these were sorted into 5 clusters. Go Zones were established for the factors that were rated highly as both a priority policy target and a priority for research. The highest ranked policy and research priorities include strategies designed to build economic viability in rural communities, improve access to federal food and nutrition assistance programs, improve food retail systems, and increase the personal food production capacity of rural residents. Respondents also prioritized the development of valid and reliable research methodologies to measure variables associated with rural food access.ConclusionsThis collaborative, trans-disciplinary, participatory process, created a map to guide and prioritize research about polices to improve healthy, affordable food access in rural communities.

Short Term Change in Attitude and Motivating Factors to Change Abusive Behavior of Male Batterers after Participating in a Group Intervention Program Based on the Pro-Feminist and Cognitive-Behavioral Approach

The Domestic Abuse Education Project (DAEP), in Burlington, Middlebury, and St. Albans, Vermont, is a group based domestic abuse intervention program, based in a pro-feminist and cognitive-behavioral approach for domestic violence intervention and prevention. A pre and post-test instrument was developed and implemented to determine short-term change in attitude of participants and motivating factors to change behavior, after completing the twenty-seven session program. After the program, participants reported a positive change in attitudes regarding their abusive behavior and stereotypical beliefs about women. Participants were also more motivated to change their behavior by the effect abuse has on their family relationships. However, many participants continued to agree that insecurity, jealousy, and alcohol and drug use can cause violence. The positive changes in attitude and motivational factors show that this is an effective model in changing underlying batterer attitudes that provide rationale for abusive behavior.

Social Cognitive Theory as a Framework for Considering Farm to School Programming

BACKGROUND Farm to School (FTS) programs are designed, in part, to improve childhood health and nutrition and may be implemented as a strategy to prevent childhood obesity. FTS programs have largely emerged out of grassroots efforts, and theory has not explicitly guided program development or implementation. This research considers the effectiveness of social cognitive theory (SCT) as a framework for FTS programming. METHODS In 2010, a survey was administered to 632 elementary schoolchildren in Vermont. Six indices were developed from 46 variables that measured personal characteristics and experiences with regard to fruits and vegetables, as described in the SCT. RESULTS These indices were the basis for cluster analysis, which identified three distinct clusters. Bivariate analysis showed significant differences among the clusters in the children’s likelihood of meeting the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA). The significant differences observed among the clusters suggest that SCT is an appropriate framework within which FTS interventions may be considered. CONCLUSIONS The findings show that there are distinct food-related attitudes and behaviors that differ widely by the SCT informed clusters and that can be used to inform FTS programs.