GRADUATE STUDENT RESEARCHER OPPORTUNITY
Planning SRH services for adolescents: using a discrete choice experiment approach
SPRING 2021
Background
The Bixby Center for Population, Health and Sustainability within the School of Public health is looking for a graduate level student to contribute to a new US based study. The study will employ a discrete choice experiment (DCE) approach to elicit adolescents’ preferences for sexual and reproductive health services including contraceptive methods. We will explore what makes young people adopt modern methods, and what service characteristics are attractive to them.
Discrete choice experiments (DCEs) are a quantitative technique for eliciting preferences that can be used in the absence of revealed preference data. The method involves asking individuals to state their preferences over hypothetical alternative scenarios, goods or services. Respondents are presented with choices and asked to indicate which of two or more alternatives they would be most likely to choose2; this may include an option to choose none. This approach is particularly useful when information on actual choices is unavailable, when there is little variation among currently available alternatives and for exploring preferences for new services not yet available outside clinic services. All of these reasons apply to the case of adolescent SRH in California, especially in underserved areas. DCE data can also be used to develop strategies for the introduction of new services, service delivery models or policies as well as to monitor existing services by tailoring them to youth preferences.
Appointment Period: January 12- May 14, 2021
*Possibility to extend through summer semester
Time commitment: 10 hours per week (25%)
Total compensation: GSR Level II @ 25% with partial fee remission
Position Responsibilities
- Conduct literature reviews on adolescent sexual and reproductive health (SRH) to identify an initial set of contraceptive methods attributes for potential inclusion in the DCE.
- Conduct in-depth interviews with adolescents (via Zoom) to ensure final set of attributes are relevant and valid for this population and that we did not miss a key attribute.
- Support PIs in development of attribute combinations and choice sets for the 10 item questionnaire.
- Collaborate with PIs to submit the Center for Protection of Human Subjects at UC Berkeley, seeking study approval, including support in developing a full study protocol including consent forms, data collection tools and data management procedures.
- Pilot test the questionnaire and oversee revisions.
- Interview adolescents 15-19 years via Zoom using structured questionnaire.
- Conduct data entry and code of explanatory variables.
- Supports PIs in data analysis, including identification of interaction effects, with the type of choice modeled (binary or multinomial). Response data will be modelled within a benefit (or satisfaction) function which provides information on whether or not the given characteristics of the methods are important; the relative importance of characteristics; the rate at which individuals are willing to trade between characteristics; and overall benefit scores for alternative scenarios.
- Support interpreting and writing up results as needed.
Direct Supervisor: Ndola Prata, Faculty Director of Bixby Center
Qualifications
- Completed at least 1 year of Master’s or Doctoral program in School of Public Health.
- High interest, and relevant coursework and experience in adolescent SRH, particularly US based.
- Experience with advanced statistical methods, with demonstrated expertise in organization and analysis of quantitative datasets and statistical modeling.
- Excellent organizational skills and academic writing.
- Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
- A collaborative approach and ability to work independently.
- Ability to work collaboratively and with adolescents.
- Due to the position funding source, applicants must be a California Resident.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience designing and implementing discrete choice experiments, a quantitative technique for eliciting preference data
To apply, email bixbycenter@berkeley.edu with CV/resume and cover letter.
Deadline: October 30, 2020
