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We conduct a randomized controlled trial (RCT) to explore whether providing tourists with information about the weather conditions in the destination country has a positive impact on their satisfaction level. We show that providing accurate weather information enables tourists to form more correct expectations i.e. closer to the actual weather conditions in the destination country – which in turn improves their satisfaction and makes them more likely to recommend relatives and friends to make the same trip. These findings reveal the role of information provision in improving tourists' satisfaction. Finally, our study encourages the application of the RCT approach as it addresses interesting questions in tourism research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study a social dilemma in a single-queue system in which human servers have discretion over the effort with which to process orders that arrive stochastically. We show theoretically that the efficient outcome in the form of high effort can be sustained in the subgame-perfect equilibrium if the interactions are long term (even when each server has a short-term incentive to free-ride and provide low effort). In addition, we show that queue visibility plays an important role in the type of strategies that can sustain a high-effort equilibrium. In particular, we show that limiting feedback about the current state of the queue may be beneficial if the expected duration of interaction is long. We conduct two controlled laboratory experiments to test the theoretical predictions and find that effort increases with the expected duration of an interaction. We also find that visibility has a strong impact on the strategies that human subjects use to provide effort in a dynamic setting. We discuss implications for managers and firms that are trying to improve service systems. This paper was accepted by Jayashankar Swaminathan, operations management. Supplemental Material: The online appendix and data files are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2020.00603. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose Methods Results Conclusion Patients with exudative and nonexudative age‐related macular degeneration (AMD) can experience physical, mental, social, administrative or financial burden that are associated with the treatment of this progressive chronic disease. The role of healthcare providers in supporting patients who experience high treatment burden can be important, especially when it comes to effective communication. Despite previous research underlining the need to improve patient‐provider communication in AMD care, patient experiences with communication, and how these are related to perceived treatment burden, remain underexplored.A survey was distributed among Dutch patients with AMD, which contained questions on several aspects of communication with the patient's ophthalmologist, such as the Quality Of communication Through the patients' Eyes (QUOTE‐COMM, including task‐, affect‐ and therapy‐oriented communication) questionnaire. Patients were primarily enlisted through a patient association.A total of 162 patients completed the questionnaire, of which 133 provided fully completed responses. While patients reported positive experiences with affect‐oriented communication of their ophthalmologist, they rated task‐ and therapy‐oriented communication as below their expectations. Most patients wished to receive (additional) information on AMD‐related costs (71%), future perspectives (71%) and coping with negative emotions pertaining to the disease (68%). Both lower experience scores on task‐ and affect‐oriented communication and lower self‐efficacy were associated with higher administrative burden and mental burden among patients.Our study shows that current communication, information provision and decision‐making do not fully meet patients' needs and preferences. Enhancing patient‐provider communication seems important, as effective dialogue is likely to diminish patients' perceived treatment burden. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information disclosure policies influence nearly every consumer domain. Disclosure research across various sectors, particularly finance and nutrition, demonstrates how policymakers can enhance consumer decision-making and promote a fair marketplace. In particular, five key considerations make policies more effective: understanding existing consumer preferences, capturing and maintaining consumer attention, providing actionable knowledge, anticipating firm responses, and recognizing potential perverse effects of information provision. An overarching "theory of change" organizes these considerations and other steps to reveal how disclosure policy can promote consumer well-being. Implementing disclosure policies using these psychological and behavioral insights will maximize their effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cognitive mobilisation thesis suggests that increasing knowledge on the European Union (EU) would lead to increased support for the institution. We test this with a strategic case whereby we provide information on the EU's subsidiarity principle to the citizenry of a small member state and examine whether it mitigates negative EU attitudes. In an original, pre-registered, population-based survey experiment conducted with members of a panel representative of the Dutch population, respondents were assigned randomly to a control group or a treatment: a professionally produced information video mimicking EU communications. Along with estimating the overall treatment effects, based on extant literature we assess whether these effects are moderated by the respondents' prior EU knowledge and level of populist attitudes. Consistent with the information deficit theory, we find that information provision decreases negative attitudes among the least knowledgeable. We discuss the implications of our findings and provide suggestions for further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Consumers frequently search for information before making decisions. Because their search and purchase decisions depend on the information environment, firms have a strong incentive to influence it. This paper endogenizes the consumer's information environment from the firm's perspective and endogenizes the search decision from the consumer's perspective. We consider a dynamic model where a firm sequentially persuades a consumer to purchase the product. The consumer only wishes to buy the product if it is a good match. The firm designs the information structure. Given the endogenous information environment, the consumer trades off the benefit and cost of information acquisition and decides whether to search for more information. Given the information acquisition strategy of the consumer, the firm trades off the benefit and cost of information provision and determines how much information to provide. This paper characterizes the optimal information structure under a general signal space. We find that the firm only smooths information provision over multiple periods if the consumer is optimistic about the product fit before searching for information. Moreover, if the search cost for the consumer is high, the firm designs the information such that the consumer will be certain that the product is a good match and will purchase it after observing a positive signal. If the search cost is low, the firm provides noisy information such that the consumer will be uncertain about the product fit but will still buy it after observing a positive signal. This paper was accepted by Dmitri Kuksov, marketing. Funding: This work was supported by University of California, Berkeley, the Institute for Business Innovation [Research Grant], and the Center for Equity, Gender, and Leadership [Research Grants]. Supplemental Material: The online appendix is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2023.00994. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This focus group study aimed to explore experiences and perceptions on post-stroke fatigue guidance in Dutch rehabilitation and follow-up care among people/patients with stroke and health professionals. Methods: Ten persons with stroke and twelve health professionals with different professions within stroke rehabilitation or follow-up care in the Netherlands were purposively sampled and included. Eight online focus group interviews were conducted. We analysed the data using reflexive thematic analysis. Results: Three themes were identified. Guidance in fatigue management did not always match the needs of people/patients with stroke. Professionals were positive about the provided fatigue guidance (e.g. advice on activity pacing), but found it could be better tailored to the situation of people/patients with stroke. Professionals believe the right time for post-stroke fatigue guidance is when people/patients with stroke are motivated to change physical activity behaviour to manage fatigue – mostly several months after stroke – while people/patients with stroke preferred information on post-stroke fatigue well before discharge. Follow-up care and suggestions for improvement described that follow-up support after rehabilitation by a stroke coach is not implemented nationwide, while people/patients with stroke and professionals expressed a need for it. Conclusions: The study findings will help guide improvement of fatigue guidance in stroke rehabilitation programmes and stroke follow-up care aiming to improve physical activity, functioning, participation, and health. IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATION: We recommend fatigue guidance, including peer support, to be accessible to all people after stroke and for health professionals to pay attention to acceptance of the stroke. To improve fatigue guidance, we suggest providing information on post-stroke fatigue to people after stroke and their relatives well before discharge from stroke rehabilitation. Tailored advice on activity pacing during and after stroke rehabilitation is important to fill the current unmet need of people after stroke to manage fatigue and to gradually improve participation, physical activity behaviour and health. We recommend to health professionals working in stroke rehabilitation to tailor the rehabilitation schedule to their patients' energy level and perception of fatigue levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the growing interest in innovative nonanimal protein‐prepared foods, knowledge about consumer demand for these newly prepared foods and their potential scope in the market could be improved. This study reports the results of a discrete choice experiment on consumers' (n = 1245) willingness to pay (WTP) for prepared plant‐based meat (PPBM) in the context of Chinese food culture. Consumers were randomly assigned to a treated group with additional environmental information about PPBM. The estimation results of the random parameter logit model showed that when environmental information was provided, consumer preferences and WTP for frozen meatballs with mixed meat (beef‐based and soy protein–based meat) and PBM (pure soy protein–based meat) significantly increased. However, their preference and WTP for food quality and safety attributes of meatballs decreased. Simultaneously, the availability of information reveals the heterogeneity of preferences. This study found that positive WTP for PPBM was limited to consumers with a low degree of food technology neophobia (FTN) and that consumers with a high degree of FTN may avoid purchasing meatballs made from PBM. In contrast, consumers with a higher time preference (i.e., impatient consumers) were likelier to pay for PPBM meatballs. Practical Application: PPBM is especially valuable in developing innovative nonanimal protein‐prepared foods, and China has the potential to become the largest PPBM food market. Understanding consumers' preference for PPBM products and the impact of information provision on their WTP will assist food companies in devising suitable strategies for the development of new PPBM products. The findings of this study provide targeted market insights for the food industry to help guide the development of plant‐based meat products more effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined whether college students' expertise and communication competence affect the information provision work they provide to a friend experiencing an intimate health concern. Survey results indicated that students (N = 397) with personal experience with the intimate health concern (i.e., contraception, STIs, pregnancy) provided more information compared to those with similar or no experience. Further, those with greater communication competence provided more information compared to those with less communication competence. A three-way interaction effect emerged for participants that provided information for a contraception concern, but no interaction effects emerged for participants that provided information for a STI or pregnancy concern. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Regressive taxation plays an increasingly important role in financing public programs, but prior studies have not fully explored the conditions under which citizens would support such financing strategies. This paper fills this gap by focusing on the United States, where sales taxes account for nearly one-third of state government revenue, and sales tax ballot measures have received majority support. I conducted an online survey experiment to examine two potential sources of public support for a sales tax increase: equal treatment beliefs (i.e., that all taxpayers should pay the same rate) and a lack of public awareness of the distributive consequences of sales taxes. I find that exposure to information about sales taxes' distributive consequences significantly reduced respondents' support for a sales tax increase, but that equal treatment beliefs had no significant effect on such support. Additional analyses suggest that other-regarding motivations are a plausible mechanism underlying the effects of information provision. These findings shed light on how misperceptions of tax burdens shape support for regressive taxation and have broad implications for how fairness beliefs influence tax policy preferences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Immigrant parents in the ER arm reported more increases in positive affect. • Immigrant children in the ER arm reported more decreases in parent–child conflicts. • Immigrant parents in the IP arm improved more knowledge and adaptation difficulties. • Immigrant children in the IP arm obtained more knowledge. • Participants with higher depressive symptoms gained more from both interventions. Parents and children who have recently immigrated from the Chinese mainland to Hong Kong face various challenges, including psychological and sociocultural adaptation difficulties. In collaboration with community partners, our research team has developed and implemented culturally sensitive and preventive parent–child parallel interventions to enhance positive adaptation among immigrant parents and children. Two interventions were conducted in this randomized controlled trial: an emotion regulation (ER) arm, which addressed psychological adaptation by reducing parent–child conflicts and improving emotions, and an information provision (IP) arm targeting sociocultural adaptation by increasing participants' knowledge about Hong Kong. The study randomly assigned 113 and 73 parent–child pairs (allocation ratio 3:2) into the ER and IP arms, respectively. Parents and children attended four two-hour weekly sessions of their assigned intervention and completed assessments before, immediately after, and one month following the intervention. The results showed that in the ER arm, parents showed improved positive affect, and children reported decreases in parent–child conflicts more than their counterparts in the IP arm. In the IP arm, parents and children increased their knowledge, and parents decreased sociocultural adaptation difficulties more than their counterparts in the ER arm. In addition, the moderation analyses showed that in both interventions, parents and children with elevated baseline depressive symptoms obtained greater benefits relative to their counterparts with fewer symptoms. Such marked improvements were seen among parents in negative affect and adaptation difficulties and among children in parent–child conflict, positive and negative affect in the ER arm. More improvements were noted among parents in negative affect and sociocultural adaptation difficulties and among children in negative affect in the IP arm. Future studies are suggested to develop and provide parent–child parallel interventions targeting both psychological and sociocultural adaptations to parents and children with heightened baseline depressive symptoms to facilitate their positive adaptation in Hong Kong. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effective disaster management can help mitigate both human and financial damage. However, the absence of appropriate disaster preparedness and management efforts can increase the vulnerability of international tourists to natural disasters. International tourists differ from residents and local tourists in various ways, including limited knowledge of disasters and disaster responses, use of different languages, limited access to signs, and shelter locations and evacuation routes. This study developed an agent-based evacuation model to determine the differences in evacuation behaviors among international tourists, residents, and local tourists during a tsunami. Further, it clarified the impact of both soft and hard countermeasures such as information provision and shelter capacity expansion. Our case study was conducted in the Minato Bay area in Osaka, Japan. The simulation results revealed disparities in the evacuation behaviors between international tourists and residents in the arrival times at shelters. The enhanced sign accessibility and provision of signs in multiple languages significantly reduced the arrival time of international tourists at shelters. Consequently, it is necessary to improve disaster management plans that ensure information provision in multiple languages and the establishment of temporary shelters near tourism spots to support international tourists during disaster evacuation. • Disparities exist in the evacuation behaviors of international tourists and residents. • International tourists following other evacuees take more time to reach shelters. • Enhanced sign accessibility reduces international tourists' arrival times. • Information provision in multiple languages reduces international tourists' arrival times. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Purpose: Consumer culture is promoting immediate gratification, and the rise of digital financial services is increasing the risk of indebtedness while debt reduces well-being and affects mental health. The authors assess the effects of consumer information provision, debt literacy, chronic debt and attitudes toward debt on the intent to purchase on credit. Design/methodology/approach: An online survey including an experiment with a credit offer vignette was conducted in a representative sample of Estonia (n = 1204). Treatment conditions depicted either the total cost and duration of the credit agreement or the annual percentage rate. Findings: Receiving modified information resulted in a 26 to 30 percentage points decrease in propensity to purchase on credit. Purchasing on credit was associated with attitudes towards credit and chronic debt, but not with debt literacy. Research limitations/implications: The findings reveal large effects of information provision and highlight the limited effects of debt literacy on credit decisions. Limitations may emerge from differences in financial regulation across countries. Practical implications: The authors' results highlight the importance of applying behavioural insights in consumer credit information provision, both in the financial sector and policy. Testing the messages allows having evidence-based solutions that promote responsible purchasing on credit. Originality/value: The findings call for changes in credit information provision requirements. Their effect is significantly larger compared to the literature, emphasizing the role of credit information provision in less regulated online markets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the interplay between the information strategy of an e‐commerce platform and the selling mode strategy of a manufacturer within a co‐opetitive supply chain, as well as the identification of the optimal supply chain strategy. We develop a supply chain model where a platform outsources production of its private label product to a manufacturer, who also sells its national brand product through the platform. The platform must decide whether to acquire consumer quality preference information at a cost and share it with the manufacturer, while the manufacturer needs to choose between the reselling mode or the agency selling mode for its national brand product. The two driving effects (competition‐intensification effect and mode differentiation effect) are identified. Our findings show that the platform will acquire and share information when the acquisition cost is sufficiently low, leading to the "competition‐intensification effect." Additionally, the manufacturer prefers the agency selling mode when cost‐quality efficiency is low, and the reselling mode otherwise, driven by the "mode differentiation effect." In cases where information sharing is absent, the manufacturer is more likely to choose the agency selling mode. Interestingly, when the cost‐quality efficiency of the manufacturer's product is moderate and the information acquisition cost is low, the "competition‐intensification effect" and the "mode differentiation effect" offset each other, resulting in the expansion of the region where the manufacturer chooses the reselling mode due to the platform's information‐sharing strategy. As a result, this enhances a cooperative relationship between the manufacturer and the platform. We also derive the optimal supply chain strategy, providing insights into both the manufacturer's selling mode and the platform's information strategies in online retailing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most common cause of irreversible visual impairment among people aged 50 years and older. Earlier research has indicated that the communication process between patients and healthcare professionals (HCPs) leaves considerable room for improvement in AMD care. Effective communication is essential to enhance trust in the professional and understanding of the diagnosis and treatment, and decrease anxiety and stress related to illness. We review patients' experiences, needs and preferences regarding information provision, communication style of the HCP and shared decision-making. We conducted a systematic search in PubMed, Embase, PsycINFO, CINAHL and Web of Science. Study quality was assessed using standard checklists of quality measures. Our search returned 31 eligible articles. Findings indicated current deficits in information provision for people with AMD. Patients were often ill-informed regarding the chronic character of the condition, treatment duration, nutrition, and visual aids and low vision rehabilitation. Many patients were not actively involved during the decision-making process. Altogether, patients with AMD are faced with challenges in terms of patient-HCP communication. Methods of providing information and discussing possible options for care need to be further investigated and improved for this patient group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is well documented that people have misperceptions about energy costs. However, there is mixed empirical evidence about the effectiveness of information provision and its persistence over time. Understanding the interplay between information regarding the private and social benefits of low-carbon technologies and identifying mechanisms through which information treatments affect people's long-term behaviors can help reconcile the mixed findings in the literature. In this paper, we measured the long-term effects of information provision through online experiments involving more than 3,000 households in China. We provided people with information on low-carbon light bulbs' monetary and climate benefits and observed their purchasing decisions over 10 months. We find that information on private or social benefits leads to a temporary effect on most households and a persistent one on the uninformed. This evidence suggests that information provision works through two different mechanisms: increasing saliency and filling the information gap. This paper was accepted by Yan Chen, behavioral economics and decision analysis. Funding: Y. Gao received financial support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China [Grant 71903006]. M. Tavoni received financial support from the FP7 Ideas: European Research Council [Grant ERC-336155–COBHAM]. Supplemental Material: The data files and online appendix are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2023.4910. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although information design has recently received significant attention as a tool for shaping consumers' purchase behavior, little is known about its use and implications in two-sided marketplaces, where both supply and demand consist of self-interested strategic agents. In this paper, we develop a model of a two-sided platform that facilitates transactions between vertically differentiated suppliers and consumers who differ in their quality preferences. We focus on illustrating the potential benefits of optimal information provision in managing the supply side of the marketplace, including the entry, exit, and pricing decisions of potential suppliers. We show that the revenue-optimal information provision policy often involves delaying the disclosure of information regarding the quality of the available suppliers. When the outside options available to consumers are relatively unattractive, we find that information design can help the platform achieve a more revenue-efficient matching between supply and demand. On the other hand, when consumers have access to attractive outside options, we show that information design can accelerate the discovery of high-quality suppliers, leading to an increase in the platform's total transaction volume. Moreover, in cases where the platform benefits from commission subsidies to incentivize the entry of new suppliers, information design can be used to achieve the same goal while allowing the platform to earn higher commission revenue. Overall, our numerical experiments suggest that the impact of information design on platform revenue, as well as on consumer surplus, can be substantial. This paper was accepted by Vishal Gaur, operations management. Supplemental Material: The online appendix is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2023.4894. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To solve the current urban water shortage, increasing the willingness of urban residents to use recycled water for flushing is one proposed approach. This study developed a risk perception measurement model of recycled water for toilet flushing to explore which risk triggered people's risk perception of recycled water, and then analyzed the interaction among information provision, trust, risk perception, and willingness to use recycled water. The main results were as follows. First, the risk perception of recycled water for flushing mainly come from four types of risks, which were performance risk, health risk, service risk and financial risk in order of importance. Second, reducing the perceived risk can improve public willingness to use recycled water for flushing, and greater trust in the water authorities and recycled water enterprises reduces the public's perception of the risk of recycled water. A higher level of initial trust is related to higher willingness to use recycled water. Third, information provision can enhance the risk perception of recycled water and enhance trust in the water authorities and recycled water enterprises, but information provision does not directly affect the willingness to use recycled water. This indicates that reducing performance risk and health risk of recycled water, will be the key to controlling the overall risk perception of recycled water and promoting willingness to use. Effective risk communication strategies combine information provision and trust in information providers, which together affect risk perception and thus the willingness to use recycled water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To investigate factors that obstruct and facilitate the use of the foster parent and special adoption systems (i.e., foster systems) by cancer survivors, and examine how to effectively provide information. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study that compared the results of a questionnaire survey of foster parents and adoptive parents (i.e., foster parents) who were and were not cancer survivors belonging to foster parent associations in 33 locations in Japan. This study was supported by a 2022 Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (Grant No. 20EA1004). Results: "Lack of information," an obstructive factor and "Sympathetic understanding and cooperation from my partner and family," a facilitative factor were the highest score in both groups. Significant differences between the two groups were found in "Support from government agencies and others for foster parents," a facilitative factor, which was lower in the cancer survivors' group. There were no other significant differences between both the groups. Conclusion: This study found that when considering the use of the foster systems, a lack of information was the biggest obstructive factor and family understanding was the most helpful for both cancer survivors and noncancer groups. It was thought that stronger government support for cancer survivors might encourage cancer survivors to consider becoming foster parents. It would be effective for cancer treatment facilities, reproductive medical facilities, the government, and foster parent associations to work together to provide information carefully to cancer survivors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) can progress to invasive breast cancer (IBC), but often never will. As we cannot predict accurately which DCIS-lesions will or will not progress to IBC, almost all women with DCIS undergo breast-conserving surgery supplemented with radiotherapy, or even mastectomy. In some countries, endocrine treatment is prescribed as well. This implies many women with non-progressive DCIS undergo overtreatment. To reduce this, the LORD patient preference trial (LORD-PPT) tests whether mammographic active surveillance (AS) is safe by giving women with low-risk DCIS a choice between treatment and AS. For this, sufficient knowledge about DCIS is crucial. Therefore, we assessed women's DCIS knowledge in association with socio-demographic and clinical characteristics. Methods: LORD-PPT participants (N = 376) completed a questionnaire assessing socio-demographic and clinical characteristics, risk perception, treatment choice and DCIS knowledge after being informed about their diagnosis and treatment options. Results: 66 % of participants had poor knowledge (i.e., answered ≤3 out of 7 knowledge items correctly). Most incorrect answers involved overestimating the safety of AS and misunderstanding of DCIS prognostic risks. Overall, women with higher DCIS knowledge score perceived their risk of developing IBC as being somewhat higher than women with poorer knowledge (p = 0.049). Women with better DCIS knowledge more often chose surgery whilst most women with poorer knowledge chose active surveillance (p = 0.049). Discussion: Our findings show that there is room for improvement of information provision to patients. Decision support tools for patients and clinicians could help to stimulate effective shared decision-making about DCIS management.

In Japan, households are required to save more electricity in response to electricity supply shortages after the Great East Japan Earthquake and meet the 66% greenhouse gas reduction target in the residential sector under the Paris Agreement. This study examines the effects of providing information to promote the implementation of green curtains, a summer electricity-saving behavior at home, using a randomized controlled trial for residents in Japan. Green curtains are made by growing annual vines, like curtains on a net stretched across a window or wall, and have the effect of reducing room temperature by providing shade. Based on their characteristics, being visible to others and a low implementation rate, we examine the effects of the perceptions and cognitions of the implementation of green curtains in the city (subjective descriptive norm) and the information provided on the trends in green curtain implementation in neighboring districts (objective descriptive norm) on the respondents' willingness to implement. The results show that subjective descriptive norms influence the willingness to implement. Further, the information about neighboring districts with slightly higher green curtain implementation rates is more effective than information about neighboring districts with significantly higher rates. This examination of the comprehensive influence of descriptive norms and the effect of the dynamic and relatively comparative forms of providing descriptive norm information have implications for studies in other fields on promoting prosocial behaviors visible to others and with low implementation rates.

Abstract Background Antibiotics have been widely used in feed and drinking water for food animals to prevent them from getting sick. Such preventive use of antibiotics has become a contributor to increasing antibiotic resistance and thus poses threats to human health. However, consumers have little knowledge about this practice and the associated health risks of increasing transmission of antibiotic residues and antibiotic resistant bacteria. This study aimed to examine the effect of information provision on consumers’ risk perceptions, support for a ban, and behavioral intention regarding the preventive use of antibiotics in food animals. Especially, the study sought to test two competing hypotheses which were informed by two theoretical perspectives of fear appeal theory — the linear model and the plateau effect model. The former suggested that providing information on the health risks of both antibiotic residues and antibiotic resistant bacteria would have a stronger effect compared to providing information on only one of them, while the latter posited that providing information on both risks might not have additional influence, as the effect of information on either risk could reach the plateau. Methods An experimental study with four conditions was conducted where participants read different information on the health risks associated with the preventive use first and then answered questions regarding consumers’ risk perceptions, support for a ban, and behavioral intention regarding the preventive use. Condition 1 was the control condition, where basic information about antibiotics, antibiotic resistance, and the preventive use was provided. Condition 2 and Condition 3 further added information on the health risk of antibiotic residues (Condition 2) and antibiotic resistant bacteria (Condition 3) due to the preventive use, respectively. Condition 4 provided all information contained in the first three conditions. Results The results showed that compared to participants in the control condition, participants in Conditions 2-4 reported higher risk perceptions, stronger support for a ban on the preventive use, and a higher intention to buy meat produced without the preventive use of antibiotics. However, there were no significant differences in these factors between Conditions 2-4, indicating that providing information on the health risk of either antibiotic residues, or antibiotic resistant bacteria, or both, has similar effect on these variables. That is, the hypothesis based on the plateau effect model was supported. Conclusions The findings suggested that informing the public with the health risk of either antibiotic residues or antibiotic resistant bacteria associated with the preventive use is effective enough to reach plateau effect in increasing risk perceptions, support for a ban, and behavioral intention, which has important implications for policymakers and livestock industries to develop effective communication strategies to promote responsible antibiotic use in food animals.

Objective: To identify parents' information needs about impending very preterm birth and compare these needs to current information practices in the Netherlands. Methods: Step 1: We surveyed N = 203 parents of preterm infants to assess their information needs. Data were analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. Step 2a: We collected information resources from hospitals (N = 9 NICUs) and via an online search. These materials were analyzed using deductive thematic analysis. Step 2b: We compared findings from Steps 1-2a. Results: We identified four themes pertaining to parents' information needs: (1) participation in care, (2) emotional wellbeing, (3) experience/success stories, and (4) practical information about prematurity. Clinicians' communicative skills and time were considered prerequisites for optimal information-provision. Notably, hospital resources provided mainly medical information about prematurity with some emphasis on participation in care, while parent associations mainly focused on emotional wellbeing and experience/success stories. Conclusion: While parents demonstrate clear information needs about impending very preterm birth, current information resources satisfy these partially. Innovation: Our multidisciplinary research team included both scholars and veteran NICU parents. As such, we identified parents' information needs bottom-up. These parent-driven insights will be used to design an innovative, tailored information platform for parents about impending very preterm birth.

• An RCT was conducted for Chinese cross-boundary families. • Two arms, emotion regulation (ER) and information provision (IP), were delivered. • Both interventions increased parental self-efficacy. • Both interventions reduced children's problem behaviors. • A moderation effect on children's outcome was found in the IP intervention. Daily cross-boundary schooling between Shenzhen and Hong Kong constitutes a constant challenge for Chinese cross-boundary families in terms of parenting burden. To address their most urgent parenting needs, we adapted and evaluated two intervention approaches—improving emotional regulation and providing knowledge about Hong Kong. A cluster randomized controlled trial with repeated assessments (pre-, post-intervention, and one-month follow-up) was adopted to evaluate the intervention effects on the increases of parental resilience resources and reduction of children's problem behaviors. We further conducted moderation analyses to investigate whether parents with more increases in parental resilience resources would report a greater reduction in children's problem behaviors. A total of 214 mothers of cross-boundary families were randomly assigned to the emotional regulation arm (ER, n = 120) or the information provision arm (IP, n = 94). Both intervention arms showed positive effects on emotional regulation strategies, and the IP arm outperformed the ER arm in knowledge acquisition. Both arms showed significant and comparable improvements in parental self-efficacy and children's problem behaviors. Moreover, participants in the IP arm who reported more improvements in parental resilience resources showed a greater reduction in children's problem behaviors. By adapting two interventions to a new population of cross-boundary families, this trial extended the benefits from parents to children and demonstrated that the improvement of parental resilience resources makes a difference in reducing children's problem behaviors in the IP arm. Future studies are suggested to focus on parental resilience resources and maximize the benefits on children's outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The inappropriate use, especially overuse, of fertilizers aggravates greenhouse gas emissions and non-point source pollution. China is the largest fertilizer user worldwide, and information provision is a determinant of farmers' fertilizer use. Using survey data of 1002 rice farmers from Hubei, Jiangsu and Jiangxi provinces in China, this study aims to analyze the heterogeneity in farmers' fertilizer use and evaluate the heterogeneous effects of various modes of information provision on fertilizer use among different groups of farmers. A group of extended difference-in-differences models are developed and estimated based on a two-year randomized controlled trial. Results show that while farmers as a whole overuse fertilizers, there is copresence of overusers, consistent users and underusers. Information provision induces a sizeable fertilizer reduction among the overusers and a moderate increase among the underusers. Moreover, the reduction is small among top overusers. Information provision by public agricultural extension agents exerts larger reduction effects among the overusers than that by fertilizer firms, while that by fertilizer firms exerts larger incremental effects among the underusers. These findings illustrate that information provision is effective in rationalizing farmers' fertilizer use in China and underscores the importance of reinforcing such a mechanism. This study provides fresh evidence for the copresence of fertilizer overuse and underuse in China and might be the first to investigate the heterogeneous effects of various modes of information provision on fertilizer use among the overusers, consistent users and underusers of fertilizers, which has crucial policy implications for rationalizing fertilizer use in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the article is to study and substantiate approaches to the formation of information provision of business activity management by dividing it into the accounting, control and analytical components, allocating in their structure the main elements that will provide the possibility of forming relevant and reliable data to assess the key indicators of development of an economic entity. The article substantiates the effective and evaluative content of business activity, the possibility of its assessment with the help of both quantitative and qualitative indicators that characterize the main aspects of financial and economic activity and indicate its strengths and weaknesses, potential opportunities and threats in achieving the set development goals. The necessity of an individual approach to the identification of indicators of business activity has been proved, which is associated with the need to take into account the factors of the type and extent of activity, the stage of the life cycle, investment attractiveness, the specifics of the production programs being implemented, the volume of investments, the chosen strategy, management model, etc. The need to prepare rational information provision for assessing the level of business activity, which is formed on the basis of accounting data, carrying out control measures, and applying analytical procedures, has been determined. It is defined that each of the components of information provision of the management of business activity of an economic entity should be considered independently, and the organization of their functioning should be carried out within the framework of maximum ensuring the reliability of the initial data and compliance with the specifics of the economic operations performed. It is substantiated that the adaptation of the accounting, control and analytical provision to the tasks of business activity management will ensure the formation of a relevant information response to the requests of managerial staff.

ABSTRACTThe Japanese Health Ministry recently granted permission for the market distribution of genome-edited (GE) foods, yet there remains a lack of full understanding among consumers regarding this technology. In this study, we conducted a survey to assess the acceptability of GE foods among Japanese consumers and examined the impact of providing information about GE foods on their acceptability. We conducted a web-based survey among 3,408 consumers aged 20–69 years, focusing on three aspects: (1) the commercial availability of GE foods, (2) the consumption of GE foods by others, and (3) your own consumption of GE foods. The survey findings revealed that participants were most accepting of the consumption of GE foods by others, followed by their acceptance of GE foods being commercially available. Notably, participants’ acceptance of GE foods increased in all three aspects after they viewed an informative video. The video had a particularly strong impact on participants who fully or partially understood its content, compared to those who did not. Furthermore, regression analyses showed that participants’ understanding of two key areas, namely “Why are GE foods important” and “What procedures are in place to ensure the safety of GE foods,” played a crucial role in increasing acceptability. Overall, these results indicate that providing information about GE foods to Japanese consumers can effectively enhance their acceptance of such foods. The findings highlight the importance of understanding the benefits and safety measures associated with GE foods in influencing consumer attitudes.

Using a Salop circle model, this research analyzes the welfare implications of firm/product entry with information provision by consumers. While firms use consumer information to target sales efforts, consumers face privacy trade‐offs when providing their personal information. We show that (i) price and profit first increase, then decrease with more varieties; (ii) consumer welfare, affected by price, sales effort, privacy loss, and matching effects, first decreases, then increases with firm entry; (iii) equilibrium information is socially optimal given the number of varieties; and (iv) if the variable cost of providing sales assistance is low (high), free entry leads to too much (few) varieties and too little (more) information, from a social welfare standpoint. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate the potential and limits of privacy-preserving corporate blockchain applications for information provision. We provide a theoretical model in which heterogeneous firms choose between adopting a blockchain application or relying on traditional third-party intermediaries to inform the capital market. The blockchain's ability to generate information depends on each firm's data profile and all firms' endogenous adoption decisions. We show that blockchain technology can improve the information environment and outperform traditional institutions with firms' adoption decisions serving as a credible value signal and the application uncovering firm values by analyzing all participating firms' data. However, we also characterize an adverse mixed-adoption equilibrium in which neither of the two channels realizes its full potential and information provision declines not only for individual firms, but also in aggregate. The equilibrium is a warning sign that has broad implications for policymakers' regulatory effort and investors' assessment of corporate blockchain applications. This paper was accepted by Suraj Srinivasan, accounting. Funding: B. Franke and Q. Gao Fritz gratefully acknowledge financial support from the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) Project-ID 403041268–TRR 266 Accounting for Transparency. A. Stenzel gratefully acknowledges financial support from the DFG through CRC TR 224 (Project C03) during prior employment at the University of Mannheim. Supplemental Material: The online appendix is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2023.4718. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study whether a better knowledge of the functioning of pay-as-you-go (PAYG) pension systems and recent demographic trends affects natives' attitudes toward immigration. In two online experiments conducted in Italy and Spain, we randomly treated participants with a video explaining how, in PAYG systems, the payment of current pensions depends on the contributions paid by current workers. The video also informs participants about population aging trends in their countries. The treatment increases knowledge of PAYG systems and future demographic trends for all participants. However, it improves attitudes toward migrants only for treated participants who do not support populist and anti-immigrant parties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Public higher education is chronically under-funded in developing countries, making private investment necessary for human capital development. We investigate if information provision mobilizes support for private investment in public higher education by employing an online RCT in Afghanistan. We find that information cues impact respondents' support for how education should be financed. Respondents that received information about the current amount of funding devoted to different levels of education (including tuition amounts for private tertiary programs), became more partial to prioritizing public funding for primary and secondary education over tertiary education but also became more supportive of tuition introduction in public universities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are two main coping styles regarding information seeking under medical threat; monitoring (information-seeking) and blunting (information-avoiding). The aim of this study is to (1) determine factors associated with a monitoring or blunting coping style in gastro-intestinal stromal tumour (GIST) patients and (2) investigate its association with psychological distress, cancer-related concerns, health-related quality of life and satisfaction with healthcare. In a cross-sectional study, Dutch GIST patients completed the shortened version of the Threatening Medical Situations Inventory to determine their coping style, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Cancer Worry Scale, EORTC QLQ-C30 and part of the EORTC QLQ-INFO25. A total of 307 patients were classified as blunters (n = 175, 57%) or monitors (n = 132, 43%). Coping style was not associated with tumour or treatment variables, but being a female (OR 2.5; 95%CI 1.5–4.1; p= <.001) and higher educated (OR 5.5; 95%CI 2.5–11.9, p= <.001) were associated with higher odds of being a monitor. Monitors scored significantly lower on emotional functioning (mean = 86.8 vs mean = 90.9, p=.044), which is considered a trivial difference, more often experienced severe fear of cancer recurrence or progression (53.0% vs 37.7%, p=.007), and had more concerns about dying from GIST in the future (60.6% vs 47.4%, p=.025). Compared to blunters, monitors were less satisfied with the received healthcare and information, and would have liked to receive more information. GIST patients with a monitoring coping style experience a higher emotional burden. Additionally, monitors exhibit a greater need for information. Although this need for information could potentially result in fears and concerns, recognising it may also create an opening for tailored communication and information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of quasi‐markets for the delivery of social care continues to grow internationally. This has presented considerable challenges regarding governance and stewardship of these markets, to ensure they meet policy goals. To date, both scholarship and practice on quasi‐market stewardship have mainly focused on the role of government. However, non‐government actors can also play important stewardship roles. For effective stewardship, there needs to be integration between government and non‐government actors in the system, not just a top‐down approach. This paper explores the stewardship role of non‐government actors in the Australian National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) with a focus on the role of information provision as a key market stewardship function. Findings show non‐government information providers play important stewardship roles that increase choice and control for citizens, enhance market sufficiency, diversity, and innovation, and support other actors in the system. We argue for a shift in the conception of market stewardship as primarily a government activity and recommend the market stewardship actions of non‐government actors be better acknowledged, funded, and 'joined up' with the market stewardship role of government to enable social care quasi‐markets to operate more effectively. Points for practitioners: Information provision by non‐government actors is a key market stewardship function in social care quasi‐markets.Market stewardship needs to be the responsibility of a much greater range of actors than government alone.A framework for 'distributed stewardship' can help join up the stewardship actions of non‐government actors with those of government to support information flows for more effective stewardship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Library Management System (LMS) is crucial to the operations and performance of the library. Libraries around the world have automated their operations to provide relevant services to users and to move away from operating manually. Objectives: The purpose of the study was to examine the impact of LMS on the provision of information in libraries of the local municipality of Rustenburg. Method: This was a quantitative study that examined the impact of LMS on information provision in libraries of the Rustenburg local municipality. The survey research design was adopted and data was collected using questionnaires. Results: The findings revealed that Rustenburg libraries depend highly on manual systems, which is a sign that they do not have adequate information and communication technologies. The few libraries that have online systems used them for circulation and are not maximising the full functions of the library. Conclusion: The study concludes that the local municipality of Rustenburg should provide funding to acquire information and communication technologies. Furthermore, it should adopt a library system in all libraries and train staff in all modules. Contribution: The LMS’s are crucial in the operations and performance of the library. Similar studies focused on the type of management systems available for use and how they can be managed. Having said that, most third world countries are still using manual systems, therefore this study takes the discussion further by looking at the impact that the lack of systems in the third world countries have on information provision in libraries.

Purpose. The purpose of the study is to substantiate the theoretical, methodological and methodical foundations for the formation of the system of accounting, analysis and information base of food losses and waste in Ukraine. Methodology / approach. The collection of information for conducting a scientific study was carried out using qualitative (literature review, research of ideas and experience on research issues) and quantitative (study of quantitative indicators of food losses in production and sales chains in Ukraine) methods based on the description of secondary research (synthesis of existing knowledge and analysis of established trends). Data analysis was carried out using thematic analysis (systematization of scientific results from research issues), statistical method (construction of a trend line and determination of forecast data), the method of comparisons (selection of a specific system based on qualitative analysis) and generalizations (substantiation of proposals and formation of conclusions). Results. The need to introduce in Ukraine the accounting methodology for food losses and waste, recommended by FAO is determined; the expediency of using the mass flow analysis method is substantiated; systematized data sources of information provision for food losses and waste monitoring. As a result of a critical analysis of theoretical, methodological and methodical principles regarding the formation of a system of accounting, analysis and information base of food losses and waste in Ukraine, the authors proposed a system of accounting, analysis and information provision of food losses and waste in Ukraine. The proposed system includes 1) a methodological basis for accounting for food losses and waste, 2) a method of analysis in the accounting system food losses and waste, and 3) information support for accounting and analysis of the process of food losses and waste. Originality / scientific novelty. For the first time, a study of the methodology of accounting for food losses and waste, methods of analysis and information provision of this process in the EU was conducted, based on the results of which approaches to the formation of a corresponding system in Ukraine were proposed. Practical value / implications. The application of a unified methodology of the food losses and waste accounting system will allow accurate quantitative assessment of food losses and waste in Ukraine, which will be suitable for international comparison, tracking progress in achieving the target indicators of the SDG12, developing relevant policies and applying effective frameworks for reduction of food losses and waste in Ukraine. This work emphasizes the need for further empirical research aimed at the quantitative analysis of food losses and waste in Ukraine, as well as the assessment of the losses caused by the russian federation in the agricultural sector and the reduction of the food potential of our country, which is a significant component of reparations and contributions from the aggressor state.

Abstract Background Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is an option for the treatment of knee osteoarthritis (OA). Patients have high expectations regarding the benefits of the actual operation. Patients can seek a second opinion on the indication for TKA. In a study, less than half of recommended TKAs were confirmed by the second opinion and conservative treatments are not fully utilized. Informed consent forms that are used in Germany usually do not meet the requirements to support informed decision-making. Our aim was to describe the process from the diagnosis of knee OA through the decision-making process to the informed consent process for TKA, and to understand when, how, and by whom decisions are made. Moreover, we wanted to describe patients' information needs and preferences about knee OA and its treatment, including TKA, and find out what information is provided. We also wanted to find out what information was important for decision-making and identify barriers and facilitators for the optimal use of evidence-based informed consent forms in practice. Methods We chose a qualitative approach and conducted semi-structured interviews with patients who were going to receive, have received, or have declined TKA, and with general practitioners (GP), office-based as well as orthopaedists and anaesthesiologists in clinics who obtain informed consent. The interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed and analysed using qualitative content analysis. Results We conducted interviews with 13 patients, three GPs, four office-based orthopaedists and seven doctors in clinics who had obtained informed consent. Information needs were modelled on subjective disease theory and information conveyed by the doctors. Patients in this sample predominantly made their decisions without having received sufficient information. Trust in doctors and experiences seemed to be more relevant in this sample than fact-based information. Office-based (GPs, orthopaedists) and orthopaedists in clinics had different understandings of their roles and expectations in terms of providing information. Conclusions We were able to identify structural barriers and assumptions that hinder the implementation of evidence-based informed consent forms.

Determining the efficiency of activity and investment potential of public interest enterprises for the purpose of further investment can be carried out in different ways, one of which is conducting an independent investment audit. The aim of the article is to present the effect of the investment audit of enterprises of public interest in ensuring their development and assessing the real efficiency of investments, as well as establishing the further vector of its development. The article summarizes the state and development strategy of the investment audit of public interest enterprises. The content of the existing investment audit procedures and the directions of further development are disclosed, the views of scientists on the development of the subject area of knowledge and practical activity are systematized. The market of auditing services for the performance of tasks for enterprises of public interest has been analyzed, the main problems characteristic of the domestic market of auditing services have been identified. The concept of "investment audit" is substantiated, its purpose and tasks are defined. Its main elements are formulated and approaches to improving the methodology are proposed according to the stages of conducting an investment audit of the activities of enterprises of public interest. Conducting an investment audit will contribute to ensuring the development and increasing the investment attractiveness of the enterprise among users who need complete, reliable, unbiased and timely information from independent experts as a basis for making investment decisions.

We examine price setting and the decision to disclose quality preference-revealing information in a supply chain with two competing manufacturers supplying two quality-differentiated products to a common retailer. Consumers have complete knowledge of product quality but are uncertain about how the quality will match their own preferences. We study who should provide preference-revealing information to help consumers understand their own quality preferences, and how such information disclosure affects horizontal and vertical competitions in the supply chain. We show that the manufacturer with a higher unit quality production cost has a higher incentive to provide such information, and we show how each supply chain member sets its information policy. The role of information releaser will switch from an upstream member (a manufacturer) to the downstream member (the retailer) as the market information level (the consumer's degree of informativeness before disclosure) increases. Information disclosure softens both horizontal and vertical competitions in the supply chain. We extend our model to examine the case in which the two manufacturers make simultaneous decisions, and the case when a supply chain member incurs a cost for implementing information disclosure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Demand information and consumer valuation uncertainty of new products have significant impacts on both consumers' purchasing behavior and retail operations. To address the information transparency for new products launching, this study examines the profitability of omni-channel pre-ordering (i.e., compared to traditional online pre-ordering), a new advance selling strategy for retailers whereby consumers can solve product value uncertainty first and then decide whether to purchase in advance. Our analysis finds that advance selling is not always an appropriate choice for the retailer, but is contingent on related costs (e.g., losses from the costs of returns for retailers and consumers and the hassle cost of solving uncertain value for consumers). Specifically, only when the retailer's return cost is relatively low and the hassle cost of solving uncertain value is relatively high should the retailer adopt the traditional online pre-ordering strategy. However, when the hassle cost of solving uncertain value is relatively low, the omni-channel pre-ordering strategy is more profitable for the retailer. By contrast, advance selling should not be offered when the retailer's return cost and the hassle cost of solving uncertain value are both high. Next, we derive the optimal advance selling price and ordering quantity for the regular season for different strategies. Our results reveal that the optimal price varies along with the costs involved in the consumer's purchasing choice. Finally, we find that the retailer is more likely to order a smaller quantity when the traditional online pre-ordering option is used. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Background: Patients with hematological malignancies who undergo hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) face complex challenges and need appropriate information to help them cope with the physical and psychological demands of their treatment and experience greater health related quality of life (HRQoL). This study investigated the impact of a specially designed booklet about HSCT, on patients' satisfaction from information, overall emotional distress and HRQoL. Method and Material: A total of 127 HSCT patients were randomly assigned to receive standard verbal information (control group, n=63) or the additional printed information (intervention group, n=64). Patients' satisfaction was assessed at two time-points; at admission to the transplant unit and at discharge. Emotional distress and HRQoL were also evaluated at 3 and 6 months post-HSCT. Intention-to-treat analysis was performed. Results: Patients' characteristics were similar in the two arms. The experimental group reported highest levels of satisfaction when compared with patients attending standard verbal approach (p<0.004). No significant differences between groups were noted, regarding patients' desired attitude about the amount of perceived information. Overall, 65% of patients wanted all the available information. Most participants considered that the booklet was easy to read and helpful in recalling medical instructions. High levels of satisfaction were strongly correlated with reduction in anxiety levels and improvement in overall HRQoL, at discharge from the transplant unit. Conclusion: Our results demonstrate printed materials can be a beneficial and practical method for patients to gain comprehensible information for HSCT. However, further well-designed, longitudinal multicenter randomized trials are needed to confirm our findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Experience sharing is becoming popular as customers increasingly respond to the rapid platform technology development. However, because of format diversity and quality variation, customers refer to multiple information sources before booking. Two of the most important information sources are the hosts' self-disclosure texts about the experience project and customers' online reviews. Using natural language processing (NLP) techniques, we analyze the data from Airbnb experience projects. We find that the information discrepancies in hosts' self-disclosure texts of the experience project and customers' online reviews, in terms of their focus on the attributes of products and services and the linguistic styles, exist, and these discrepancies affect sales. Hosts elaborate more on the descriptive attributes, whereas customers focus mainly on individual perceptions in their reviews. Customers also write online reviews in a more concise, diverse, and relaxed fashion, conveying positive emotion and a more subjective tone than expressed by hosts' project descriptions. Additionally, a large topic difference, reflected by customers' more details about various attributes elaborated in their online reviews compared with the attributes described by the hosts in the project description, increases sales. Further, a larger discrepancy in length and diversity increases sales, whereas a larger discrepancy in subjectivity reduces sales. Compared with the online mode, the in-person mode strengthens the impact of content and linguistic discrepancies on sales. This study's findings will help hosts and sharing economy platforms use a relative approach to optimize their information provision and exploit the electronic word-of-mouth effect to improve customers' online purchase intention and behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: One-to-one peer supporters called isPO onco-guides (isPO OGs) are an integral part of the new German psycho-oncological form of care 'integrated, cross-sectoral Psycho-Oncology' (isPO), additionally to professional care. The isPO OGs are cancer survivors with experiential knowledge, offering information on local support services and answering questions 'all around cancer' to newly diagnosed cancer patients. We aimed to evaluate the isPO OG service from three perspectives: patients, isPO OGs, and professional service providers. Methods: A mixed-methods approach was pursued. We conducted interviews and focus groups with the three person groups, and applied qualitative content analysis on the reported resources, processes and outcomes regarding the isPO OG service. Relations with patients' utilisation and isPO OGs' work satisfaction were identified with regression and correlation analyses of questionnaire and isPO care data. We compared isPO care networks (CN) with X2-tests or ANOVA. Qualitative and quantitative results were integrated during interpretation phase. Results: Qualitatively, the three person groups agreed on the benefits of the isPO OG service. The implementation's maturity differed between the CN concerning established processes and resource availability. Attitudes of professional service providers appeared to be crucial for patients' utilisation of the isPO OG service. Quantitative results emphasised the differences between the CN. Conclusion: Beyond differences in the CN, the isPO OG service has two psychosocial benefits: providing relevant, reliable, and understandable information; and offering the encouraging example that surviving and living with cancer is possible. Trial registration: The study was registered in the German Clinical Trials Register (No. DRKS00015326) on 30.10.2018. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is an option for the treatment of knee osteoarthritis (OA). Patients have high expectations regarding the benefits of the actual operation. Patients can seek a second opinion on the indication for TKA. In a study, less than half of recommended TKAs were confirmed by the second opinion and conservative treatments are not fully utilized. Informed consent forms that are used in Germany usually do not meet the requirements to support informed decision-making. Our aim was to describe the process from the diagnosis of knee OA through the decision-making process to the informed consent process for TKA, and to understand when, how, and by whom decisions are made. Moreover, we wanted to describe patients' information needs and preferences about knee OA and its treatment, including TKA, and find out what information is provided. We also wanted to find out what information was important for decision-making and identify barriers and facilitators for the optimal use of evidence-based informed consent forms in practice. Methods: We chose a qualitative approach and conducted semi-structured interviews with patients who were going to receive, have received, or have declined TKA, and with general practitioners (GP), office-based as well as orthopaedists and anaesthesiologists in clinics who obtain informed consent. The interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed and analysed using qualitative content analysis. Results: We conducted interviews with 13 patients, three GPs, four office-based orthopaedists and seven doctors in clinics who had obtained informed consent. Information needs were modelled on subjective disease theory and information conveyed by the doctors. Patients in this sample predominantly made their decisions without having received sufficient information. Trust in doctors and experiences seemed to be more relevant in this sample than fact-based information. Office-based (GPs, orthopaedists) and orthopaedists in clinics had different understandings of their roles and expectations in terms of providing information. Conclusions: We were able to identify structural barriers and assumptions that hinder the implementation of evidence-based informed consent forms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Aim The aim of this study was to understand the provision and need, quality of and trust in COVID‐19 vaccines information from the perspectives of people who have had COVID‐19 infection. Method People who have had a COVID‐19 infection were approached via their general practice and invited to participate in the Nivel Corona Cohort. They completed questionnaires at baseline (Q1), and at three months (Q2). Outcome measures were based on health information‐seeking behaviour, as used in the Comprehensive Model of Information Seeking. Antecedents (i.e., gender, age, education level, health literacy) were used from Q1, and one's beliefs and experiences (i.e., trust in the information and healthcare system, how applicable the information is), information carrier factors (i.e., information quality perceptions and via which sources), health‐information seeking actions (i.e., decision to vaccinate and information sufficiency) and vaccination status from Q2. Data were analysed using descriptive analyses, analysis of variance tests (F‐tests) and χ2 tests with the statistical software STATA. Results Of the respondents (N = 314), 96% were vaccinated at least once, mostly after having had the virus. Most retrieved information about COVID‐19 vaccines on the website of the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (79%), broader via the internet (56%), or from family and friends (35%). Almost all had trust in the information (89%) and healthcare system (94%). Most found the information applicable to their situation (67%). Moreover, most perceived the information as correct (71%) and did not perceive the information to be misleading (85%), while fewer people found the information reliable (59%) and clear (58%). Overall, the majority indicated that the information met their expectations to make a well‐informed decision to vaccinate (89%). Conclusion Different characteristics of people who had COVID‐19 and sought information were identified, which is important to offer tailored information. People who had COVID‐19 in this study, mainly middle‐aged, vaccinated and highly educated, were generally positive about the vaccines information, but overall the reliability and clarity could be improved. This is important for a high vaccination uptake, booster programs and coming pandemics. Patient or Public Contribution The questionnaire was reviewed by patients who had COVID‐19, one of whom is a health services researcher.

Abstract Background Two most important factors determining treatment success in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) are adequate medication compliance and molecular monitoring albeit still being suboptimal. The CMyLife platform is an eHealth innovation, co-created with and for CML patients, aiming to improve their care, leading to an increased quality of life and the opportunity of hospital-free care. Objective To explore the effectiveness of CMyLife in terms of information provision, patient empowerment, medication compliance, molecular monitoring, and quality of life. Methods Effectiveness of CMyLife was explored using a patient-preference trial. Upon completion of the baseline questionnaire, participants actively used (intervention group) or did not actively use (questionnaire group) the CMyLife platform for at least 6 months, after which they completed the post-intervention questionnaire. Scores between the intervention group and the questionnaire group were compared with regard to the within-subject change between baseline and post-measurement using Generalized Estimating Equation models. Results At baseline, 33 patients were enrolled in the questionnaire group and 75 in the intervention group. Online health information knowledge improved significantly when actively using CMyLife and patients felt more empowered. No significant improvements were found regarding medication compliance and molecular monitoring, which were already outstanding. Self-reported effectiveness showed that patients experienced that using CMyLife improved their medication compliance and helped them to oversee their molecular monitoring. Patients using CMyLife reported more symptoms but were better able to manage these. Conclusions Since hospital-free care has shown to be feasible in time of the COVID-19 pandemic, eHealth-based innovations such as CMyLife could be a solution to maintain the quality of care and make current oncological health care services more sustainable. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04595955 , 22/10/2020.

When selling multiple products with asymmetric uncertainty, should the seller disclose product information so that customers do not have to incur any cost to resolve their uncertainties; if so, which product should the seller choose? To address these questions, we consider a monopolist selling two substitutable products to a group of consumers. Each consumer has asymmetric uncertainty regarding the two products. A total of four different information provision structures are considered based on whether the seller discloses information about each product with the aim of determining which strategy provides the seller with the greatest revenue. We derive several interesting results. First, the optimal information provision strategy depends on the magnitude of uncertainty in relation to the product with lower uncertainty. Specifically, if the uncertainty regarding the product with lower uncertainty is sufficiently small, it is optimal for the seller to provide information about the product with higher uncertainty, otherwise, the seller should provide information about both products. Second, when only one product's information should be revealed, it is optimal for the seller to choose the product with higher uncertainty and charge a higher price. Third, withholding information on both products is never optimal for the seller. Finally, our main model is extended by examining the Mean-Preserving Spread setting, and the robustness of our main results is confirmed. Furthermore, we examine the situation in which a monopolist sells a single product with two main attributes. We find that each of the four information provision strategies can be optimal under various scenarios.