This paper analyzes the recent behavior of prices of housing in Colombia and seeks to shed light on whether there is a misalignment of prices against the fundamentals that determine them. For that, two approaches were used: the first uses a structural VAR model to forecast within sample. The results suggest that currently observed prices are not misaligned if within the same fundamental determinants include the price of land. For the second approach we constructed a structural model of supply and demand for housing. The results of this model are consistent with the VAR model and suggest that any misalignment of housing prices on their fundamentals is associated with historically high land prices.
BackgroundEffective HIV prevention requires efficient delivery of safe and efficacious drugs and optimization of user adherence. The user’s experiences with the drug, delivery system, and use parameters are critical to product acceptability and adherence. Prevention product developers have the opportunity to directly control a drug delivery system and its impact on acceptability and adherence, as well as product efficacy. Involvement of potential users during preclinical design and development can facilitate this process. We embedded a mixed methods user evaluation study into a safety and pharmacokinetics (PK) trial of a pod-intravaginal ring delivering antiretroviral agents.MethodologyWomen enrolled in two cohorts, ultimately evaluating the safety/PK of a pod-IVRs delivering TDF-alone, TDF-FTC, and/or TDF-FTC-MVC. A 7-day use period was targeted for each pod-IVR, regardless of drug or drug combination. During the clinical study, participants provided both quantitative (i.e., survey) and qualitative (i.e., in-depth interview) data capturing acceptability, perceptibility, and adherence behaviors. Initial sexual and reproductive health history surveys, daily diaries, a final acceptability and willingness to use survey, and a qualitative in-depth interview comprised the user evaluation data for each pod-IVR experienced by the participants.FindingsOverall, the majority of participants (N = 10) reported being willing to use the pod-IVR platform for HIV prevention should it advance to market. Confidence to use the pod-IVR (e.g., insertion, removal) was high. There were no differences noted in the user experience of the pod-IVR platform; that is, whether the ring delivered TDF-alone, TDF-FTC, or TDF-FTC-MVC, users’ experiences of the ring were similar and acceptable. Participants did report specific experiences, both sensory and behavioral, that impacted their use behaviors with respect to the ring, and which could ultimately impact acceptability and adherence. These experiences, and user evaluations elicited by them, could both challenge use or be used to leverage use in future trials and product rollout once fully articulated.ConclusionsHigh willingness-to-use data and lack of salient differences in user experiences related to use of the pod-IVR platform (regardless of agents delivered) suggests that the pod-IVR is a feasible and acceptable drug delivery device in and of itself. This finding holds promise both for an anti-HIV pod-IVR and, potentially, a multipurpose prevention pod-IVR that could deliver both prevention for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) including HIV and contraception. Given the very early clinical trial context, further acceptability, perceptibility, and adherence data should continue to be explored, in the context of longer use periods (e.g., 28-day ring use), and in the contexts of sexual activity and menses. Using early design and development contexts to gain insights into potential challenges and facilitators of drug delivery systems such as the pod-IVR could save valuable resources and t...
The development of HIV-preventive topical vaginal microbicides has been challenged by a lack of sufficient adherence in later stage clinical trials to confidently evaluate effectiveness. This dilemma has highlighted the need to integrate translational research earlier in the drug development process, essentially applying behavioral science to facilitate the advances of basic science with respect to the uptake and use of biomedical prevention technologies. In the last several years, there has been an increasing recognition that the user experience, specifically the sensory experience, as well as the role of meaning-making elicited by those sensations, may play a more substantive role than previously thought. Importantly, the role of the user-their sensory perceptions, their judgements of those experiences, and their willingness to use a product-is critical in product uptake and consistent use post-marketing, ultimately realizing gains in global public health. Specifically, a successful prevention product requires an efficacious drug, an efficient drug delivery system, and an effective user. We present an integrated iterative drug development and user experience evaluation method to illustrate how user-centered formulation design can be iterated from the early stages of preclinical development to leverage the user experience. Integrating the user and their product experiences into the formulation design process may help optimize both the efficiency of drug delivery and the effectiveness of the user.
has been reviewed by the Editorial Board and by special expert referees. Although it is judged not acceptable for publication in Obstetrics & Gynecology in its present form, we would be willing to give further consideration to a revised version. If you wish to consider revising your manuscript, you will first need to study carefully the enclosed reports submitted by the referees and editors. Each point raised requires a response, by either revising your manuscript or making a clear and convincing argument as to why no revision is needed. To facilitate our review, we prefer that the cover letter include the comments made by the reviewers and the editor followed by your response. The revised manuscript should indicate the position of all changes made. We suggest that you use the "track changes" feature in your word processing software to do so (rather than strikethrough or underline formatting).
BackgroundAdolescent males interested in sex with males (AMSM) are an important audience for HIV prevention interventions, but they are difficult to reach due to their age and social stigma.ObjectiveWe aim to identify efficient methods to recruit and retain AMSM in online research.MethodsInterviews with 14-to-18-year-old AMSM (N=16) were conducted at 2017 Pride events in Boston, MA and Providence, RI.ResultsParticipants reported that (1) social media platforms are viable recruitment venues; (2) recruitment advertisements should describe the study using colorful/bright pictures, familiar words, and information about compensation; (3) surveys should be <20 minutes in length; (4) modest compensation (eg, email gift card, US $10 to $20) was preferred; and (5) communications that remind participants about the length and content of surveys, and compensation, should be sent between study activities to increase retention.ConclusionsSoliciting input from AMSM provides critical guidance regarding recruitment and retention procedures to increase the efficiency of HIV prevention research for this at-risk group.
Background Reducing pregnancy risk requires a multidimensional approach to sexual and reproductive health product development. The purpose of this analysis is to identify, compare, and contrast women’s pre-use beliefs and attitudes about three different forms of contraceptives: intravaginal rings; spermicide in conjunction with condoms; and oral contraceptive pills – and explore how those attitudes and beliefs, along with actual method-use experience, may affect potential choices in contraceptive method moving forward. The relationship of beliefs and attitudes to their risk–benefit calculations when using these methods was also considered.? Methods: Women used one or more contraceptive methods, each for 3–6 months. Qualitative data from individual in-depth interviews completed after each 3-month use period were analysed using a summary matrix framework. Data were extracted and summarised into themes. Each woman’s experiences were compared among the methods she used; comparisons were also made across participants. Results: The data consist of 33 90–120 min in-depth qualitative interviews from 16 women aged 20–34 years, in which they discussed various elements of their method use experience. One prominent theme was identified: the influence of attitudes and beliefs on the risk–benefit calculus. There were six key elements within the theme: pregnancy prevention; dosing and the potential for user error; side-effects; familiarity; disclosure; and sexual partnerships. Conclusions: Women weighed perceived risks and benefits in their decision-making and, ultimately, their contraception choices. Understanding women’s beliefs and attitudes that contribute to a calculation of risk–benefit can inform the development of sexual and reproductive health products.
In Swaziland, one of the most desperately impoverished nations in Africa, a small grass-weaving company has emerged as a ray of hope for the women it works with. This alone would be a worthwhile endeavor, but what is even more fascinating is that this company has the potential to become a model for demonstrating tangible ways to lift millions of the world's poorest citizens out of poverty.The global development community is understandably interested in this kind of company, but why would anyone from the international investment community pay attention to a small handicrafts company with the unassuming name of Gone Rural? After all, a company whose production relies on several hundred women in tiny Swazi villages is an improbable profit-making success story.Gone Rural is located in the heart of a small southern African nation that ranks 123 rd out of 169 on the Human Development Index. 1 HIV/AIDS has reached epidemic proportions in Swaziland, leaving thousands of children orphaned and causing the United Nations Development Program to state that if the current infection rate continues unabated, the "longer term existence of Swaziland as a country will be seriously threatened." 2 On the economic front, Swaziland fares little better. The economy is based primarily on subsistence farming, which employs nearly 80 percent of the population but only represents a little over 8 percent of GDP. 3 Given those numbers, it is not surprising that close to 60 percent of the population lives on less than the equivalent of US$1.25 per day. 4 The 2008 global economic crisis took a large toll on Swaziland's fledgling economy, and the country is dependent on South Africa for its economic well-being. 5 Since 2008, demand for Swaziland's largest exports-mostly textiles, sugar, and wood pulp-has decreased. The resulting decline in revenue has pushed the country into a fiscal crisis. Indeed, "with an estimated 40% unemployment rate,
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