Browsing by Author "Abou-Ali, Hala"

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Child mortality, wealth and education: direct versus indirect effects
(2003) Abou-Ali, Hala; Department of Economics
Controlling for the Egyptian household choice of health infrastructure (i.e., sanitation facility and water accessibility) is done by means of a discrete choice approach consistent with the random utility model. Evidence of the importance of the indirect effect of the source of drinking water on child mortality is found. Furthermore, changes in wealth and education levels are assessed taking into consideration a priori the choice of health infrastructure. The analysis suggests that wealth and education contribute to the child mortality reduction.
Does Benefit Transfer Always Work: a Multi-country Comparison
(2005) Belhaj, Mohammed; Abou-Ali, Hala; Department of Economics
This paper analyzes the welfare effects of a 50 percent reduction in air pollution caused by road traffic in both Cairo (Egypt) and Rabat-Salé (Morocco) using a contingent valuation method with identical elicitation questions. Despite the fact that both the numbers of inhabitants and vehicles are higher in Cairo the willingness to pay to reduce the impacts of vehicle emissions is higher in Rabat-Salé although incomes are rather similar in both cities. This paper shows that the relatively often-used benefit transfer frequently leads to biases where damage costs are under- or overestimated.
Evaluating the welfare effects of improved water quality using the choice experiment method
(2004) Carlsson, Fredrik; Abou-Ali, Hala; Department of Economics
This paper analyzes the welfare effects of improved health status through increased water quality using a choice experiment. The survey was administered to a random sample of households in metropolitan Cairo, Egypt. We apply a random parameter logit model in the analysis and illustrate the richness of information that can be obtained from this type of model by estimating individual level willingness to pay (WTP). We find a significant WTP for improved health status, both for short-run and long-run health effects. However, the estimated WTP is fairly low compared with the costs of a program that would achieve these improvements.
The effect of water and sanitation on child mortality in Egypt
(2003) Abou-Ali, Hala; Department of Economics
This paper assesses water and sanitation’s impacts on child mortality in Egypt. The analysis is conducted using a three-part model specification, comprising discrete choice to model the child prospects of dying during the neonatal period. The remaining parts uses transition models to model infant and childhood risk of death where unobserved heterogeneity is accounted for. The results show that access to municipal water decreases the risk and sanitation is found to have a more pronounced impact on mortality than water. The results suggest that increasing awareness of the Egyptian population relative to health care and hygiene is an important feature to decrease child’s mortality risk. Moreover, gender discrimination is found to be of an important effect beyond the neonatal period.
Using stated preference methods to evaluate the impact of water on health: the case of metropolitan Cairo
(2003) Abou-Ali, Hala; Department of Economics
This paper analysis the impact of better water quality on health improvements using two stated preference methods: choice experiments and the contingent valuation method. These methods were administered to a random sample of 1500 households living in metropolitan Cairo, Egypt. The results indicate that households living in Metropolitan Cairo have a positive but rather small willingness to pay for reducing health risks owing to water quality.
Water and Health in Egypt: An Empirical Analysis
(2003) Abou-Ali, Hala; Department of Economics
This thesis is an empirical work dealing with water issues in Egypt where the emphasis is put on the analysis of the relationship: inadequate water quality and health impacts. The first chapter includes a general discussion of water resources in Egypt and other developing countries. This chapter briefly also deals with water tariffs and sustainable water pricing in Cairo. In the second chapter the impacts of water and sanitation on child mortality in Egypt are assessed. The analysis is conducted using a three-part model specification, comprising discrete choice to model the child prospects of dying during the neonatal period. The remaining parts use transition models, in which unobserved heterogeneity is accounted for, to model infant and childhood risk of death. The results show that access to municipal water decreases the risk, and sanitation is found to have a more pronounced impact on mortality than water. The results suggest that increasing the awareness of the Egyptian population relative to health care and hygiene is an important means to decrease the risk of child mortality. Moreover, gender discrimination is found to have an important effect beyond the neonatal period. In the third chapter, controlling for the Egyptian households’ choice of health infrastructure (i.e., sanitation facility and water accessibility) is done by means of a discrete choice approach consistent with the random utility model. Evidence of the importance of the indirect effect of the source of drinking water on neonatal mortality is found, but generally the indirect effect is negligible. Furthermore, changes in wealth and educational levels are assessed taking into consideration a priori the choice of health infrastructure. The analysis suggests that wealth and education contribute loosely to the child mortality reduction. The fourth chapter analyzes the impact of better water quality on health improvements using two stated preference methods: choice experiments and the contingent valuation method. These methods were administered to a random sample of 1500 households in metropolitan Cairo, Egypt. The results show that both methods give quite the same welfare measures. Moreover, households in metropolitan Cairo do have a positive willingness to pay for reducing health risks owing to water quality that amounts to roughly double their current water bills. This finding suggests that the willingness to pay is rather small compared to the likely cost.