ABSTRACT
The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has precipitated a surge in mask usage around the world. This situation could spur environmental consequences which when not well managed, may compound waste and waste management, and further drive the spread of viral infections. Therefore, this study explores the antecedents of mask waste separation behavior in Ghana using an integrated model composed of the theory of planned behavior and the norm activation model. With the use of the questionnaire survey approach, data was drawn from 570 respondents, and further analyzed using the structural equation modeling technique. Results revealed that the relationship between awareness of consequences and other constructs, except attitude, and the relationship between ascription of responsibility and other constructs, except attitude, are significant. Moreover, significant relationships between subjective norm and attitude, subjective norm and personal norm, and subjective norm and perceived behavior control were validated. However, no significant relationship exists between awareness of consequences and attitude, and between awareness of responsibility and attitude. On the basis of the study findings, insightful implications for policy and suggestions for future research are presented.
ABSTRACT
Though health insurance policies remain critical to eliminating healthcare access barriers, population-wide subscription in Ghana however remains unsatisfactory. Therefore, this study, while employing a questionnaire survey to elicit data (n= 312) analyzed via the structural equation modeling technique, investigates individual health insurance subscription underpinnings using the theory of planned behavior. The results of data analysis affirmed attitude, subjective norm and perceived behavior control as positively related to health insurance subscription. Similarly, results further revealed personal norm and descriptive norm as significantly related to intention, testifying to individuals' subscription as not anchored on a single factor, but rather on a confluence of behavior-driven elements. The current study, in addition to affirming the TPB's predictive potency, also enriches health insurance research, and underscores the much often-disregarded behavior constituents as imperative to health policy design and implementation. In view of the study results, implications for augmenting subscription, and suggestions for further research are subsequently delineated.
Subject(s)
Attitude , Intention , Humans , Insurance, Health , Surveys and Questionnaires , Health PolicyABSTRACT
The pandemic outbreak has dealt consequences on global engagements and structures. With the ongoing search for pandemic-mitigating measures and the excesses (notably corruption) erupted in its wake, concerns have been raised about the decline in public trust, transparency and satisfaction - particularly in Ghana. This situation has spurred multilevel governance discussions regarding pandemic management. Ensuingly characterising policy makers' propositions in this regard is the civil society's salience as a control valve to governance deficits like corruption. Therefore, transcending the anecdotal claims on civil society's efficacy, this study takes a state-society perspective to probe its relevance in fostering trust, transparency and satisfaction, relative to corruption-stricken pandemic governance. The current study engages the general systems theory as a conceptual lens. The structural equation modelling technique was used in analysing data (n = 519) gathered through the questionnaire survey approach. Though results of data analysis affirmed the negative effects of corruption on trust, transparency and satisfaction, the civil society received affirmation as an enhancer of trust, transparency and satisfaction. In view of these study findings, implications and future research suggestions are delimited.
