Date of Award

Summer 8-15-2017

Author's School

Graduate School of Arts and Sciences

Author's Department

Social Work

Additional Affiliations

Brown School of Social Work

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Degree Type

Dissertation

Abstract

Adoption of evidence-based cleaner cooking systems such as Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) is a crucial first step in eventually providing a sustainable solution for household air pollution. To promote adoption of LPG in below poverty line households, we require evidence-based implementation strategies. For these strategies to be feasible and scalable, they need to be grounded in a thorough understanding of the household, network, and organizational level drivers of LPG adoption. However, systematic research on adoption of LPG by poor communities is still lacking.

The overall objective of the study was to develop a better understanding about new insights on the reach of LPG among the poor in rural India. The study used a RE-AIM Implementation Science framework to develop a better understanding about the reach of LPG among the poor in rural India, and examined the factors that influence adoption of LPG in below poverty line households of rural India. The design was a case control study. The study used multistage random sampling technique to first select rural habitations and then households from these habitations for data collection. The study had two specific aims: 1) to understand how rural LPG adopters vary from other rural households on factors of affordability, accessibility, and awareness of LPG; and 2) to evaluate the relative influence of gender based personal networks on LPG adoption in these rural households. The aims were accomplished through a set of semi-structured questionnaire and standardized personal gender based network surveys in below poverty line households of rural India.

The study found that multiple factors pertaining to affordability, accessibility, and awareness concurrently impact adoption of LPG in rural households. The results also showed that personal gender based networks of women and men impact LPG adoption. Both women and men respondents from the LPG adopter households had significantly higher gender based homophily and significantly higher homophily in LPG adoption, when they were compared to that of women and men respondents from the non-LPG adopter households. Men respondents from the LPG adopter households had relatively higher structural holes, when compared to that of men respondents from the non-LPG adopter households. Despite a few limitations, the study has strong implications for policy and practice, and provides multiple avenues for continued research.

Language

English (en)

Chair and Committee

Gautam Ross . Yadama Brownson

Committee Members

Jenine Harris, Sumi Mehta, Shanta Pandey, Ken Schechtman,

Comments

Permanent URL: https://doi.org/10.7936/K7J965TD

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