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Praveen Kumar
Social Work, Boston College, 134 McGuinn Hall, 140 Commonwealth Avenue, Chestnut Hill, Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, 02467, UNITED STATES

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Accepted manuscript
Published: 01 June 2021 in Environmental Research Letters
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Adoption of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) is the primary policy approach in India to transition rural poor communities toward clean cooking behavior. Prior clean cooking studies show that affordability, accessibility, and awareness impact LPG adoption in India. There is scarce research that explores the association of personal networks of community members in their LPG adoption. In this cross-sectional study, we use standard egocentric personal network analyses and multivariate logistic regression models to examine the association of structure and composition of personal networks with LPG adoption in poor communities. Our results show that higher proportions of peers owning LPG are associated with higher likelihood of LPG ownership in the respondents (OR= 41.30, 95% Confidence Interval: 16.86 – 101.20, p=0.00). This study on personal network characteristics in clean cooking research offers a germane foundation for further large scale personal network studies on clean cooking adoption in poor communities.

ACS Style

Praveen Kumar; Liam Patrick McCafferty; Amar Dhand; Smitha Rao; Antonia Díaz-Valdés; Rachel G Tabak; Ross C. Brownson; Gautam N Yadama. Association of personal network attributes with clean cooking adoption in rural South India. Environmental Research Letters 2021, 16, 064087 .

AMA Style

Praveen Kumar, Liam Patrick McCafferty, Amar Dhand, Smitha Rao, Antonia Díaz-Valdés, Rachel G Tabak, Ross C. Brownson, Gautam N Yadama. Association of personal network attributes with clean cooking adoption in rural South India. Environmental Research Letters. 2021; 16 (6):064087.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Praveen Kumar; Liam Patrick McCafferty; Amar Dhand; Smitha Rao; Antonia Díaz-Valdés; Rachel G Tabak; Ross C. Brownson; Gautam N Yadama. 2021. "Association of personal network attributes with clean cooking adoption in rural South India." Environmental Research Letters 16, no. 6: 064087.

Book chapter
Published: 29 April 2021 in Encyclopedia of the UN Sustainable Development Goals
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ACS Style

Praveen Kumar; Mary Ulseth; Sarah Austin. Bridging the Gender Gap to Realize Capacity Building: The role of SDG 5 for SDG 17. Encyclopedia of the UN Sustainable Development Goals 2021, 78 -87.

AMA Style

Praveen Kumar, Mary Ulseth, Sarah Austin. Bridging the Gender Gap to Realize Capacity Building: The role of SDG 5 for SDG 17. Encyclopedia of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. 2021; ():78-87.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Praveen Kumar; Mary Ulseth; Sarah Austin. 2021. "Bridging the Gender Gap to Realize Capacity Building: The role of SDG 5 for SDG 17." Encyclopedia of the UN Sustainable Development Goals , no. : 78-87.

Concept paper
Published: 15 October 2020 in Sustainability
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Social enterprises have become increasingly central in the field of energy poverty. As a result of market and government failures, an increased emphasis on social enterprises to address energy poverty has emerged. Still, there is limited theoretical understanding guiding the role of social enterprises in addressing the challenge of energy poverty. We apply theories of co-production and social capital to analyze the role of social enterprises in disseminating and implementing cleaner energy alternatives to resource poor communities. By combining implications of these theories, we argue that social enterprises act as honest brokers between communities and technologists, cultivate new social relationships, and change social structures to move poor communities to adopt and use cleaner energy systems. Understanding the role of social enterprises in addressing energy poverty through a theoretical realm will provide a guiding framework to undertake systematic empirical investigation.

ACS Style

Praveen Kumar; Nishant Tiwary. Role of Social Enterprises in Addressing Energy Poverty: Making the Case for Refined Understanding through Theory of Co-Production of Knowledge and Theory of Social Capital. Sustainability 2020, 12, 8533 .

AMA Style

Praveen Kumar, Nishant Tiwary. Role of Social Enterprises in Addressing Energy Poverty: Making the Case for Refined Understanding through Theory of Co-Production of Knowledge and Theory of Social Capital. Sustainability. 2020; 12 (20):8533.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Praveen Kumar; Nishant Tiwary. 2020. "Role of Social Enterprises in Addressing Energy Poverty: Making the Case for Refined Understanding through Theory of Co-Production of Knowledge and Theory of Social Capital." Sustainability 12, no. 20: 8533.

Reference work
Published: 15 September 2020 in Encyclopedia of the UN Sustainable Development Goals
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ACS Style

Praveen Kumar; Mary Ulseth; Sarah Austin. Bridging the Gender Gap to Realize Capacity Building: Role of SDG 5 for SDG 17. Encyclopedia of the UN Sustainable Development Goals 2020, 1 -11.

AMA Style

Praveen Kumar, Mary Ulseth, Sarah Austin. Bridging the Gender Gap to Realize Capacity Building: Role of SDG 5 for SDG 17. Encyclopedia of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. 2020; ():1-11.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Praveen Kumar; Mary Ulseth; Sarah Austin. 2020. "Bridging the Gender Gap to Realize Capacity Building: Role of SDG 5 for SDG 17." Encyclopedia of the UN Sustainable Development Goals , no. : 1-11.

Journal article
Published: 11 June 2020 in Sustainability
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Interventions in the clean cooking sector have focused on improved biomass stoves in a bid to address household air pollution (HAP) in low- and middle-income countries. These initiatives have not delivered adequate health and environmental benefits owing to the less than optimal performance of improved biomass stoves. There is an urgency to transition communities to cleaner cooking systems such as liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) to reduce the prevalence of HAP. Adoption of LPG also has challenges. This case-control cross-sectional study with 510 households examines how affordability, accessibility, and awareness (3As) are associated with LPG adoption in rural poor households of Andhra Pradesh, a state of India. Using binomial logistic regression analyses, the study examines the association of 3As with LPG adoption, adjusting for demographic predictors. Results show disparities in LPG adoption owing to affordability, accessibility, and awareness. Household income is positively associated with LPG adoption. Easy availability of biomass deters households from adopting LPG. Concerns for LPG safety reduces likelihood of LPG adoption. On the other hand, attending awareness campaigns on clean cooking benefits is strongly associated with LPG adoption. Awareness drives, primarily targeted marketing campaigns, could help expand LPG coverage among poorer households. This paper offers insights into the determinants of clean fuel adoption with implications for resource-poor settings across the world to advance energy justice and address energy poverty.

ACS Style

Praveen Kumar; Robert Ethan Dover; Antonia Díaz-Valdés Iriarte; Smitha Rao; Romina Garakani; Sophia Hadingham; Amar Dhand; Rachel G. Tabak; Ross C. Brownson; Gautam N. Yadama. Affordability, Accessibility, and Awareness in the Adoption of Liquefied Petroleum Gas: A Case-Control Study in Rural India. Sustainability 2020, 12, 4790 .

AMA Style

Praveen Kumar, Robert Ethan Dover, Antonia Díaz-Valdés Iriarte, Smitha Rao, Romina Garakani, Sophia Hadingham, Amar Dhand, Rachel G. Tabak, Ross C. Brownson, Gautam N. Yadama. Affordability, Accessibility, and Awareness in the Adoption of Liquefied Petroleum Gas: A Case-Control Study in Rural India. Sustainability. 2020; 12 (11):4790.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Praveen Kumar; Robert Ethan Dover; Antonia Díaz-Valdés Iriarte; Smitha Rao; Romina Garakani; Sophia Hadingham; Amar Dhand; Rachel G. Tabak; Ross C. Brownson; Gautam N. Yadama. 2020. "Affordability, Accessibility, and Awareness in the Adoption of Liquefied Petroleum Gas: A Case-Control Study in Rural India." Sustainability 12, no. 11: 4790.

Journal article
Published: 08 April 2020 in Energy Policy
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Stove stacking (concurrent use of multiple stoves and/or fuels) is a poorly quantified practice in regions with ongoing efforts to transition household energy to cleaner options. Using biomass-burning stoves alongside clean stoves undermines health and environmental goals. This review synthesizes stove stacking data gathered from eleven case studies of clean cooking programs in low- and middle-income country settings. Analyzed data are from ministry and program records, research studies, and informant interviews. Thematic analysis identifiedy key drivers of stove stacking behavior in each setting. Significant (28%–100%) stacking with traditional cooking methods was observed in all cases. Reasons for traditional fuel use included: costs of clean fuel; mismatches between cooking technologies and household needs; and unreliable fuel supply. National household surveys often focus on 'primary' cookstoves and miss stove stacking data. Thus more attention should be paid to discontinuation of traditional stove use, not solely adoption of cleaner stoves/fuels. Future energy policies and programs should acknowledge the realities of stacking and incorporate strategies at the design stage to transition away from polluting stoves/fuels. Seven principles for clean cooking program design and policy are presented, focused on a shift toward "cleaner stacking" that could yield household air pollution reductions approaching WHO targets.

ACS Style

Anita V. Shankar; Ashlinn K. Quinn; Katherine L. Dickinson; Kendra N. Williams; Omar Masera; Dana Charron; Darby Jack; Jasmine Hyman; Ajay Pillarisetti; Rob Bailis; Praveen Kumar; Ilse Ruiz-Mercado; Joshua P. Rosenthal. Everybody stacks: Lessons from household energy case studies to inform design principles for clean energy transitions. Energy Policy 2020, 141, 111468 .

AMA Style

Anita V. Shankar, Ashlinn K. Quinn, Katherine L. Dickinson, Kendra N. Williams, Omar Masera, Dana Charron, Darby Jack, Jasmine Hyman, Ajay Pillarisetti, Rob Bailis, Praveen Kumar, Ilse Ruiz-Mercado, Joshua P. Rosenthal. Everybody stacks: Lessons from household energy case studies to inform design principles for clean energy transitions. Energy Policy. 2020; 141 ():111468.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Anita V. Shankar; Ashlinn K. Quinn; Katherine L. Dickinson; Kendra N. Williams; Omar Masera; Dana Charron; Darby Jack; Jasmine Hyman; Ajay Pillarisetti; Rob Bailis; Praveen Kumar; Ilse Ruiz-Mercado; Joshua P. Rosenthal. 2020. "Everybody stacks: Lessons from household energy case studies to inform design principles for clean energy transitions." Energy Policy 141, no. : 111468.

Journal article
Published: 17 March 2020 in Sustainability
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We look at infrastructure and policies in India around the distribution of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) to rural communities and incorporate the experiences and perspectives of dissemination personnel. This qualitative study is part of a larger case control study aimed at examining strategies to promote adoption and sustained use of clean cooking technology, particularly among the rural poor in southern India. Our focus on dissemination personnel helps illuminate extant policy implementation and strategies to increase LPG uptake among the poor. Thematic analysis of 13 semi-structured interviews points to gaps in workforce training, infrastructure, and interface of the technology with social norms. Reduction in refill costs and removal of LPG subsidies was widely suggested to increase uptake and use. Themes identified underscore that policies promoting LPG for the poor will have limited success in the absence of commensurate infrastructure for LPG dissemination and awareness. Despite being primary policy beneficiaries, the under-representation of women within energy governance such as LPG distribution systems identified in this study presents a gap that interventions should focus on. Perspectives from those at the frontiers of implementation of a national energy policy provide insights into the high points as well as operational setbacks to help understand dissemination strategies within energy systems.

ACS Style

Smitha Rao; Sanjeev Dahal; Sophia Hadingham; Praveen Kumar. Dissemination Challenges of Liquefied Petroleum Gas in Rural India: Perspectives from the Field. Sustainability 2020, 12, 2327 .

AMA Style

Smitha Rao, Sanjeev Dahal, Sophia Hadingham, Praveen Kumar. Dissemination Challenges of Liquefied Petroleum Gas in Rural India: Perspectives from the Field. Sustainability. 2020; 12 (6):2327.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Smitha Rao; Sanjeev Dahal; Sophia Hadingham; Praveen Kumar. 2020. "Dissemination Challenges of Liquefied Petroleum Gas in Rural India: Perspectives from the Field." Sustainability 12, no. 6: 2327.

Short review
Published: 19 October 2018 in Energy Research & Social Science
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Around 3 billion people across the world rely on the use of traditional fuels for their energy needs. Nearly all are poor and a majority use traditional inefficient cookstoves that partially combust these fuels and emit harmful carbonaceous pollutants. These traditional cookstoves are a significant contributor to household air pollution, and causes acute public and environmental health implications. To reduce these detrimental effects, clean cooking technologies (clean stoves and clean fuels) have been distributed widely around the world, targeting poor communities. However, sustained uptake of these clean cooking technologies has been tepid. There has been considerable focus on improving the technical design and development of these clean cooking technologies, with less attention paid to the social drivers that either lead or keep people from using the stoves. We argue for greater emphasis on understanding social networks, and their influence on sustained uptake of clean cooking practices amongst poor communities. By drawing from cases in health, microfinance, and clean cooking, we outline a perspective for emphasis on social network analysis in dissemination and implementation strategies of clean cooking practices for poor communities.

ACS Style

Praveen Kumar; Leah Igdalsky. Sustained uptake of clean cooking practices in poor communities: Role of social networks. Energy Research & Social Science 2018, 48, 189 -193.

AMA Style

Praveen Kumar, Leah Igdalsky. Sustained uptake of clean cooking practices in poor communities: Role of social networks. Energy Research & Social Science. 2018; 48 ():189-193.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Praveen Kumar; Leah Igdalsky. 2018. "Sustained uptake of clean cooking practices in poor communities: Role of social networks." Energy Research & Social Science 48, no. : 189-193.

Study protocol
Published: 14 December 2017 in Archives of Public Health
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Implementing efficient stoves and clean fuels in low and middle-income countries are critical for improving health of poor women and children and improve the environment. Cleaner biomass stoves, however, perform poorly against the World Health Organization’s indoor air quality guidelines. This has shifted the focus to systematic dissemination and implementation of cleaner cooking systems such as liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) among poor communities. Even when there is some uptake of LPG by poor communities, its sustained use has been low. Concurrent use of LPG with traditional biomass cookstoves compromises reductions in household air pollution and limits health and environmental dividends. Therefore understanding key drivers of adoption and sustained implementation of clean fuels among the poor is critical. There is a significant gap, however, in the research to understand determinants and sustained exclusive use of clean fuels in rural poor communities. Using a case control study design, this study will explore the impact of affordability, accessibility, and awareness on adoption and sustained use of LPG among rural poor communities of India. The study uses a multistage random sampling to collect primary data from 510 households. Case group or LPG adopters constitute 255 households while control group or non-LPG adopters constitute the remaining 255 households. The study will deploy sophisticated stove use monitoring sensors in each of the stoves in 100 case group households to monitor stove use and stacking behavior (using clean and traditional systems of cooking) of participants for 12 months. Moreover, this will be the first study to explore the impact of personal social networks striated by gender on LPG adoption. This study is guided by the RE-AIM (Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance) implementation science evaluation framework. Lessons from this study will feed into a larger discussion on developing a pro-poor strategy to foster uptake and sustained use of cleaner cooking systems such as LPG. Understanding the determinants of adoption and sustained use of cleaner cooking systems through the RE-AIM framework will expand our insights on implementation of cleaner cooking systems among poor communities and will advance implementation science in the clean cooking sector. A thorough study of such implementation strategies is crucial to realize multiple UN Sustainable Development Goals on global health, climate change, and energy security.

ACS Style

Praveen Kumar; Amar Dhand; Rachel G. Tabak; Ross C. Brownson; Gautam N. Yadama. Adoption and sustained use of cleaner cooking fuels in rural India: a case control study protocol to understand household, network, and organizational drivers. Archives of Public Health 2017, 75, 1 -11.

AMA Style

Praveen Kumar, Amar Dhand, Rachel G. Tabak, Ross C. Brownson, Gautam N. Yadama. Adoption and sustained use of cleaner cooking fuels in rural India: a case control study protocol to understand household, network, and organizational drivers. Archives of Public Health. 2017; 75 (1):1-11.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Praveen Kumar; Amar Dhand; Rachel G. Tabak; Ross C. Brownson; Gautam N. Yadama. 2017. "Adoption and sustained use of cleaner cooking fuels in rural India: a case control study protocol to understand household, network, and organizational drivers." Archives of Public Health 75, no. 1: 1-11.