Africa & Development
Research insight
INVITED EDITOR
Editorial from
Anne Karing
Princeton University
July 16, 2024
3. Good health and well-being

3. Good health and well-being

Ensuring access to quality health and promoting well-being for all, at all ages
LEARN MORE

Social Signaling and Childhood Immunization: A Field Experiment in Sierra Leone

RESEARCH SEMINAR | Under the the theme Economic Development in Africa, the NOVAFRICA Knowledge Center welcomes Anne Karing from Princeton University to present her work on Social Signaling and Childhood Immunization in Sierra Leone.

Abstract

This paper investigates social signaling in the context of childhood immunization in Sierra Leone. I introduce a durable signal – in the form of differently colored bracelets – which children receive upon vaccination and implement a 22-month-long experiment in 120 public clinics. Informed by theory, the experimental design separately identifies social signaling from leading alternative mechanisms. In a first main finding, I show that individuals use signals to learn about others’ actions. Second, I find that the impact of signals varies significantly with the social desirability of the action. In particular, the signal has a weak effect when linked to a vaccine with low perceived benefits and a large, positive effect when linked to a vaccine with high perceived benefits. Of substantive policy importance, signals increase timely and complete vaccination by 14 percentage points at a cost of approximately 1 USD per child. Finally, I structurally estimate a dynamic discrete-choice model to quantify the value of social signaling. I find that parents’ value of signaling completion is equivalent to the cost of walking 5-8 miles.

Read the paper here.

This content was originally published in Novafrica's website.

Anne Karing
Princeton University
LEARN MORE
SHARE

Keep reading

NOVAFRICA Sustainable Development Talks

These series of audio talks about development in Africa bring together experts from a wide range of institutions. Alex Armand, resident member of Nova SBE NOVAFRICA Knowledge Center and Assistant Professor.

Is mobile money changing the rural landscape? Evidence from Mozambique

The introduction of mobile money promoted migration out of rural areas by easing long-distance transfers and increasing resilience. Professors Cátia Batista and Pedro Vicente, Founders and Scientific Directors of Nova SBE NOVAFRICA Knowledge Center, recently reflected on mobile money as an opportunity for financial inclusion.

Usage of Electronic Payments by Small Business Owners in Mozambique

This study diagnoses the access to banking and electronic payments (POS, Mobile Banking and Mobile Money) by small businesses in the cities of Mozambique.

Transforming shopping during Covid 19 in low income township in South Africa

In this episode, we look into Yebo Fresh. A startup that in its first year had to re-invent itself when lock-down first hit in South African, and, as a consequence, saw their volumes grow by thirty times almost overnight. Listen to the impact journey of this a groundbreaking enterprise supplying township communities with affordable on-demand business and home grocery deliveries – something unheard before!

THE CHOICES OF

Nova SBE awarded at the 1st edition of the EFFAS Gasperini Awards

Professors Miguel Ferreira and José Tavares and Nova SBE PhD student Sharmin Sazedj were awarded the first edition of the EFFAS Gasperini Awards, where they represented Nova SBE

Subscribe our weekly newsletter

By subscribing to the Nova SBE Role to Play newsletter, you can stay up-to-date on the latest articles posted on the website.
Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

We all have a role to play

We are on a mission to be a community dedicated to the development of talent and knowledge that impacts the world.

With just ten years to go, an ambitious global effort is underway to deliver the 2030 promise. We want to take a stand and we are calling on our community to showcase how they are contributing to the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, whilst influencing more and more people to unravel their role to play.

Here, you will find four different ways your ideas can flourish, dialogue can be enhanced, and action can take place. You can choose one or all four, and Nova SBE will be there to support you all the way and guarantee tangible change.

We all have a role to play, and this is your way in.