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Ronelle Burger

Researcher and Professor

Ronelle is a researcher in the Department of Economics at Stellenbosch University. She holds a Masters from Cambridge University and a PhD from Nottingham University. Her main interest is to better understand how various empowerment strategies can help to improve effective public service delivery and poverty alleviation.

Ronelle is a fellow of the Centre for Research on Economic Development and Trade (CREDIT), the Partnership for Economic Policy and the Pan African Scientific Research Council. She is an associated editor of Health Economics and Development Southern Africa and serves on the board of Journal of Development Studies

Ronelle’s consulting experience and academic publications cover many fields and topics including poverty analysis, fiscal incidence analysis, NGOs, education, health, social mobility, accountability and transparency.

 

 

April 22, 2022 in Authors, Focus Areas, Health, Health - Publications, Journal Articles, Publications, Research Outputs, Ronelle Burger

Longitudinal changes in COVID-19 vaccination intent among South African adults: evidence from the NIDS-CRAM panel survey, February to May 2021

COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy has threatened the ability of many countries worldwide to contain the pandemic. Given the severe impact of the pandemic in South Africa…
April 22, 2022 By: Ronelle Burger, Timothy Köhler, Aleksandra Golos, Alison Buttenheim, René English, Michele Tameris & Brendan Maughan-Brown PDF
April 22, 2022 in Cobus Burger, Focus Areas, Health, Health - Publications, Journal Articles, Publications, Research Outputs, Ronelle Burger, Uncategorized

The health impact of free access to antiretroviral therapy in South Africa

Since 2004 the South African government has rolled out free antiretroviral therapy (ART) at public health care facilities nationwide. No prior studies have estimated the impact of the ART…
April 22, 2022 By: Cobus Burger, Ronelle Burger, & Eddy van Doorslaer PDF
April 22, 2022 in Authors, Carmen Sue Christian, Focus Areas, Health, Health - Publications, Journal Articles, Publications, Research Outputs, Ronelle Burger

Predictors of mask-wearing during the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic: Evidence from South Africa

In the absence of a vaccine, the global spread of COVID-19 during 2020 has necessitated non-pharmaceutical interventions to curb the rise of cases.
April 22, 2022 By: Ronelle Burger, Carmen Christian, Rene English, Brendan Maughan-Brown, & Laura Rossouw PDF
April 22, 2022 in Authors, Focus Areas, Health, Health - Publications, Journal Articles, Publications, Research Outputs, Ronelle Burger, Tina Fransman

Lockdown-Associated Hunger May be Affecting Breastfeeding: Findings from a Larger SMS Survey in South Africa

The impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had, and will continue to have, on food security and child health is especially concerning. A rapid, Short…
April 22, 2022 By: Nazeeia Sayed, Ronelle Burger, Abigail Harper, Elizabeth Swart PDF
April 22, 2022 in Focus Areas, Health, Health - Publications, Journal Articles, Marisa von Fintel, Publications, Research Outputs, Ronelle Burger, Trust Gangaidzo

Stressful life events, neighbourhood characteristics, and systolic blood pressure in South Africa.

In press
April 22, 2022 By: Trust Gangaidzo, Marisa von Fintel, A. Schutte, Ronelle Burger PDF
December 22, 2021 in Focus Areas, Health, Health - Publications, Journal Articles, Publications, Research Outputs, Ronelle Burger

Better Performing NGOs Do Report More Accurately: Evidence from Investigating Ugandan NGO Financial Accounts

We use Benford’s Law to investigate inaccurate financial reports of a representative sample of Ugandan nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). We find that 25% of the sample…
December 22, 2021 By: Canh Thien Dang, Ronelle Burger, and Trudy Owens PDF
April 22, 2021 in Authors, Focus Areas, Health, Health - Publications, Journal Articles, Publications, Research Outputs, Ronelle Burger

The Economics of Health in South Africa

The remnants of the colonial and apartheid era are evident in the South African health system’s persistently higher levels of injury, mental health problems, disease…
April 22, 2021 By: Ronelle Burger & Mosima Ngwenya PDF
April 22, 2021 in Anja Smith, Authors, Carmen Sue Christian, Dumisani Hompashe, Focus Areas, Health, Health - Publications, Journal Articles, Publications, Research Outputs, Ronelle Burger

‘The nurse did not even greet me’: how informed versus non-informed patients evaluate health systems responsiveness in South Africa

This paper investigates the role of non-clinical dimensions of care in patient satisfaction.
April 22, 2021 By: Dumisani Hompashe, Ulf Gerdtham, Carmen Christian, Anja Smith, & Ronelle Burger PDF
April 22, 2021 in Authors, Health, Health - Publications, Journal Articles, Publications, Research Outputs, Ronelle Burger

Cost and cost-effectiveness of a universal HIV testing and treatment intervention in Zambia and South Africa: evidence and projections from the HPTN 071 (PopART) trial

The HPTN 071 (PopART) trial showed that a combination HIV prevention package including universal HIV testing and treatment (UTT) reduced population-level incidence of HIV compared…
April 22, 2021 By: Ranjeeta Thomas, William Probert, Rafael Sauter, Lawrence Mwenge, Surya Singh, Sarah Kanema, Nosivuyile Vanqa, Abigail Harper, Ronelle Burger, Anne Cori, Michael Pickles, Nomtha Bell-Mandla, Blia Yang, Justin Bwalya, Mwelwa Phiri, Kwame Shanaube, Sian Floyd, Deborah Donnell, Peter Bock, Prof Helen Ayles, Sarah Fidler, Richard J Hayes, Christophe Fraser, Katharina Hauck PDF
April 22, 2021 in Authors, Focus Areas, Health, Health - Publications, Journal Articles, Publications, Research Outputs, Ronelle Burger

Who is more likely to return for TB test results? A survey at three high-burden primary healthcare facilities in Cape Town, South Africa

In low- and middle-income countries with a high burden of tuberculosis (TB), a large proportion of people who are tested for TB do not return…
April 22, 2021 By: Ronelle Burger, Judy Caldwell, Mareli Claassens, Khanya Mama, Pren Naidoo, Matthias Rieger, Laura Rossouw, Eddy van Doorslaer, Adam Wagstaff PDF
April 22, 2021 in Authors, Dineo Seabe, Focus Areas, Health, Health - Publications, Journal Articles, Publications, Research Outputs, Ronelle Burger

Examining the Relationship Between Resources and the Likelihood to Participate in Formal Volunteering in Post-apartheid South Africa

We examine the relationship between likelihood to volunteer and a range of human capital, social capital, religious capital and ubuntu variables in South Africa seven years after…
April 22, 2021 By: Dineo Seabe & Ronelle Burger PDF
April 22, 2021 in Authors, Focus Areas, Health, Health - Publications, Journal Articles, Publications, Research Outputs, Ronelle Burger, Rulof Burger

Testing an Incentive-Based and Community Health Worker Package Intervention to Improve Maternal Health and Nutrition Outcomes: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

In order to address South Africa’s maternal and infant mortality and morbidity rates, patient and community-level preventable factors need to be identified and addressed. However,…
April 22, 2021 By: Laura Rossouw, Rulof Burger, & Ronelle Burger PDF
April 22, 2021 in Authors, Focus Areas, Health, Health - Publications, Journal Articles, Publications, Research Outputs, Ronelle Burger

Underrepresentation of developing country researchers in development research

We present evidence of how researchers from developing countries are represented in three areas of research: conference presentations, articles in journals, and citations. We find…
April 22, 2021 By: Verónica Amarante, Ronelle Burger, Grieve Chelwa, John Cockburn, Ana Kassouf, Andrew McKay, & Julieta Zurbrigg PDF
April 22, 2021 in Authors, Focus Areas, Health, Health - Publications, Journal Articles, Publications, Research Outputs, Ronelle Burger

Changing Inequalities in Health-Adjusted Life Expectancy by Income and Race in South Africa

Trends in socioeconomic-related health inequalities is a particularly pertinent topic in South Africa where years of systematic discrimination under apartheid bequeathed a legacy of inequalities…
April 22, 2021 By: Caryn Bredenkamp, Ronelle Burger, Alyssa Jourdan, & Eddy van Doorslaer PDF
February 22, 2021 in News and Opinion, Ronelle Burger

The missing poor: Data blind spots perpetuate social injustice

Household surveys systematically exclude or undercount vulnerable populations and these exclusions and underestimations will materially affect estimates of need such as access to clean water…
February 22, 2021 By: Ronelle Burger PDF
October 5, 2020 in Carmen Sue Christian, Health, Health - Reports & Policy, Ronelle Burger

Navigating COVID in the post lockdown period: Shifting risk perceptions and compliance with preventative measures

A report stemming from NIDS-CRAM wave 1, a project consisting of work by a national consortium of 30 social science researchers from five South African…
October 5, 2020 By: , Brendan Maughan-Brown, Russell Rensburg, Laura Rossouw PDF
September 11, 2020 in Anja Smith, Authors, Focus Areas, Health, Health - Reports & Policy, Nicola Deghaye, Policy Briefs, Reports, Research Outputs, Ronelle Burger

Examining the unintended consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic on public sector health facility visits: The first 150 days

This paper considers how access to public sector healthcare in South Africa have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic using three sources of evidence: the…
September 11, 2020 By: Ronelle Burger, Candy Day, Nicola Deghaye, Lungiswa Nkonki, Russell Rensburg, Anja Smith, and Cari van Schalkwyk PDF
August 12, 2020 in Carmen Sue Christian, Health - Reports & Policy, Policy Briefs, Reports, Research Outputs, Ronelle Burger

Navigating COVID in the postlockdown period: Shifting risk perceptions and compliance with preventative measures

South Africa’s lockdown in March and April has saved lives by containing the spread of COVID-19 but it has done so at a tremendous social…
August 12, 2020 By: Carmen Sue Christian, Ronelle Burger, René English, Brendan Maughan-Brown, Laura Rossouw PDF
November 14, 2019 in Anja Smith, Carmen Sue Christian, Dumisani Hompashe, Health, Health - Reports & Policy, Health 2020, Journal Articles, Publications, Research Outputs, Ronelle Burger

Use of simulated patients to assess hypertension case management at public healthcare facilities in South Africa

Burger, R., Christian, C.S., Gerdtham, U.G., Haal, K., Hompashe, D.M., Smith, A. and Schutte, A.E., 2019. Use of simulated patients to assess hypertension case management…
November 14, 2019 By: Anja Smith, Carmen Sue Christian, Dumisani Hompashe, Ronelle BurgerUlf Gerdtham, K. Haal, Alte Schutte PDF
November 14, 2019 in Development, Development - Publications, Development 2020, Journal Articles, Publications, Research Outputs, Ronelle Burger

Abiding by the Law? Using Benford’s Law to Examine the Accuracy of Nonprofit Financial Reports

Qu, H., Steinberg, R. and Burger, R., 2019. Abiding by the Law? Using Benford’s Law to Examine the Accuracy of Nonprofit Financial Reports. Nonprofit and…
November 14, 2019 By: Ronelle Burger, Heng Qu, Richard Steinberg PDF
November 14, 2019 in Health, Health 2019, Journal Articles, Publications, Research Outputs, Ronelle Burger

SMS Nudges as a Tool to Reduce Tuberculosis Treatment Delay and Pretreatment Loss to Follow-Up. A Randomized Controlled Trial

Wagstaff, A., van Doorslaer, E. and Burger, R., 2019. SMS nudges as a tool to reduce tuberculosis treatment delay and pretreatment loss to follow-up. A…
November 14, 2019 By: Ronelle Burger, Adam Wagstaff, Eddy van Dooslaer PDF
November 14, 2019 in Dieter von Fintel, Health, Health - Publications, Health 2019, Journal Articles, Martina Mchenga, Publications, Research Outputs, Ronelle Burger

Examining the impact of WHO’s Focused Antenatal Care policy on early access, underutilisation and quality of antenatal care services in Malawi: a retrospective study

Mchenga, M., Burger, R. and von Fintel, D., 2019. Examining the impact of WHO’s Focused Antenatal Care policy on early access, underutilisation and quality of…
November 14, 2019 By: Dieter von Fintel, Martina Mchenga, Ronelle Burger PDF
November 12, 2019 in Development, Development - Publications, Development - Working Papers, Development 2017, Journal Articles, Publications, Research Outputs, Ronelle Burger

Better Performing NGOs Do Report More Accurately: Evidence from Investigating Ugandan NGO Financial Accounts

Burger, R., Dang, C.T. and Owens, T., 2017. Better performing NGOs do report more accurately: Evidence from investigating Ugandan NGO financial accounts (No. 2017-10).
November 12, 2019 By: Ronelle Burger, Canh Thien Dang, Trudy Owens PDF
November 12, 2019 in Health, Health - Publications, Health 2019, Journal Articles, Publications, Research Outputs, Ronelle Burger

Effects and determinants of tuberculosis drug stockouts in South Africa

Koomen, L.E.M., Burger, R. and van Doorslaer, E.K.A., 2019. Effects and determinants of tuberculosis drug stockouts in South Africa. BMC health services research, 19(1), p.213.
November 12, 2019 By: Ronelle Burger, L.E.M Loomen, Eddy van Dooslaer PDF
November 12, 2019 in Health, Health - Publications, Health 2019, Journal Articles, Publications, Research Outputs, Ronelle Burger, Rulof Burger

An Incentive-Based and Community Health Worker Package Intervention to Improve Early Utilization of Antenatal Care: Evidence from a Pilot Randomised Controlled Trial

Rossouw, L., Burger, R.P. and Burger, R., 2019. An Incentive-Based and Community Health Worker Package Intervention to Improve Early Utilization of Antenatal Care: Evidence from…
November 12, 2019 By: Ronelle Burger, Rulof Burger, Laura Rossouw PDF
November 12, 2019 in Development, Development - Publications, Journal Articles, Publications, Research Outputs, Ronelle Burger

Temporal case study of household behavioural response to Cape Town’s “Day Zero” using smart meter data

Booysen, M.J., Visser, M. and Burger, R., 2019. Temporal case study of household behavioural response to Cape Town's “Day Zero” using smart meter data. Water Research, 149,…
November 12, 2019 By: Ronelle Burger, Marthinus J. Booysen, Martine Visser PDF
March 29, 2019 in Anja Smith, Health, Health - Reports & Policy, Health 2019, Journal Articles, Publications, Research Outputs, Ronelle Burger

Demand-Side Causes and Covariates of Late Antenatal Care Access in Cape Town, South Africa

Smith, A., Burger, R. and Black, V., 2019. Demand-Side Causes and Covariates of Late Antenatal Care Access in Cape Town, South Africa. Maternal and child health…
March 29, 2019 By: Anja Smith, Ronelle Burger, Vivian Black PDF
November 14, 2018 in Development, Development - Publications, Development 2018, Journal Articles, Publications, Research Outputs, Ronelle Burger

Global nonprofit chains and the challenges of development aid contracting

Burger, R., Owens, T. and Prakash, A., 2018, October. Global Non-Profit Chains and the Challenges of Development Aid Contracting. In Nonprofit Policy Forum (Vol. 9, No. 4).…
November 14, 2018 By: Ronelle Burger, Trudy Owens, Prakash Aseem PDF
September 6, 2018 in Anja Smith, Carmen Sue Christian, Dumisani Hompashe, Health, Health - Reports & Policy, Health 2018, Journal Articles, Publications, Ronelle Burger

Measuring Quality Gaps in TB Screening in South Africa Using Standardised Patient Analysis

Christian, C., Gerdtham, U.G., Hompashe, D., Smith, A. and Burger, R., 2018. Measuring quality gaps in TB screening in South Africa using standardised patient analysis.…
September 6, 2018 By: Anja Smith, Carmen Sue Christian, Dumisani Hompashe, Ronelle Burger, Ulf Gerdtham PDF
July 16, 2018 in 2017, Development, Development - Working Papers, Development 2017, Research Outputs, Ronelle Burger, Working Papers

Building bridges or deepening divides: Resources and formal volunteering in post-apartheid South Africa

Stellenbosch Working Paper Series No. WP03/2017 Publication date: May 2017 Abstract: This study investigates volunteering in a highly unequal society. It uses post-apartheid South Africa…
July 16, 2018 By: Ronelle Burger PDF
July 4, 2018 in 2015, Development, Development - Report & Policy, Development 2015, Research Outputs, Ronelle Burger, Servaas van der Berg, Working Papers

The long walk: Considering the enduring spatial and racial dimensions of deprivation two decades after the fall of apartheid

Stellenbosch Working Paper Series No. WP17/2015 Abstract: This study examines the enduring spatial and racial dimensions of poverty and deprivation in South Africa to assess…
July 4, 2018 By: Ronelle Burger, Servaas van der Berg, Sarel van der Walt, Derek Yu PDF
October 17, 2017 in Development, Earlier Working Papers, Ronelle Burger, Rulof Burger, Servaas van der Berg, Working Papers

Trends in poverty and inequality since the political transition

Stellenbosch Working Paper Series No. WP01/2005 Abstract: Using a constructed data series and another data series based on AMPS (the All Media and Products Survey),…
October 17, 2017 By: Ronelle Burger, Rulof Burger, Servaas van der Berg, Megan Louw, Derek Yu PDF
October 17, 2017 in Development, Development - Working Papers, Earlier Working Papers, Ronelle Burger, Working Papers

Examining the Robustness of Competing Explanations of Slow Growth in African Countries

Stellenbosch Working Paper Series No. WP03/2006 Abstract: This research challenges previous findings regarding the robustness of the African growth dummy by expanding the list of…
October 17, 2017 By: Ronelle Burger, Stan Du Plessis PDF
October 17, 2017 in Development, Development - Working Papers, Earlier Working Papers, Ronelle Burger, Rulof Burger, Servaas van der Berg, Working Papers

A series of national accounts-consistent estimates of poverty and inequality in South Africa

Stellenbosch Working Paper Series No. WP09/2007 Abstract: This paper makes a unique contribution to the South African literature in combining data from an alternative source…
October 17, 2017 By: Ronelle Burger, Rulof Burger, Servaas van der Berg, Megan Louw, Derek Yu PDF
October 16, 2017 in 2011, Development, Development - Working Papers, Ronelle Burger, Working Papers

Model of NGO Regulation with an Application to Uganda

Stellenbosch Working Paper Series No. WP22/2011 Abstract: We develop a model of regulation of service-delivery NGOs, where future grants are conditional on prior spending of…
October 16, 2017 By: Ronelle Burger PDF
October 16, 2017 in 2013, Development, Development - Working Papers, Development 2013, Research Outputs, Ronelle Burger, Working Papers

Estimating the benefits of linking ties in a deeply divided society: considering the relationship between domestic workers and their employers in South Africa

Stellenbosch Working Paper Series No. WP18/2013 Abstract: In South Africa social exclusion remains a problem due to the multiple and overlapping divisions in post-apartheid society…
October 16, 2017 By: Ronelle Burger, Marisa Coetzee, Carina van der Watt PDF
October 16, 2017 in Publications, Ronelle Burger

Journal Articles

BURGER R, DASGUPTA I, OWENS T. A Model of non-governmental organization regulation with an application to Uganda. Economic Development and Cultural Change 2015; 64(1):71-111. BURGER…
October 16, 2017 By: Ronelle Burger PDF
October 16, 2017 in 2014, Development, Development - Report & Policy, Development 2014, Research Outputs, Ronelle Burger, Working Papers

Why pay NGOs to involve the community?

Stellenbosch Working Paper Series No. WP05/2014 Publication date: 2014 Abstract: We examine the case for donors providing financial incentives to NGOs to increase community participation.…
October 16, 2017 By: Ronelle Burger, Indraneel Dasgupta, Trudy Owens PDF
October 16, 2017 in 2015, Development, Development - Working Papers, Development 2015, Research Outputs, Ronelle Burger, Servaas van der Berg, Working Papers

The Capability Threshold: Re-examining the definition of the middle class in an unequal developing country

Stellenbosch Working Paper Series No. WP16.2015 Publication date: 2015 Abstract: In a polarised and highly unequal country such as South Africa, it is unlikely that…
October 16, 2017 By: Ronelle Burger, Servaas van der Berg, Camren McAravey PDF
October 16, 2017 in 2017, Chris van Wyk, Education, Education - Working Papers, Education 2017, Marlies Piek, Research Outputs, Ronelle Burger, Servaas van der Berg, Working Papers

The performance of low fee independent schools in South Africa – What can available data tell?

Stellenbosch Working Paper Series No. WP01/2017 Publication date: January 2017 Abstract: This study uses a unique dataset to investigate university access, throughput, and dropout for…
October 16, 2017 By: Chris van Wyk, Marlies Piek, Ronelle Burger, Servaas van der Berg, Janeli Kotzé, Kate Rich PDF
April 29, 2017 in Anja Smith, Chloé van Biljon, Health, Health - Publications, Health 2017, Journal Articles, Publications, Research Outputs, Ronelle Burger

South Africa’s hospital sector: old divisions and new developments

  Abstract The hospital sector in South Africa mirrors deep inequalities in the country as a whole. The private, for-profit hospital sector is well resourced…
April 29, 2017 By: Anja Smith, Chloé van Biljon, Ronelle Burger, Shivani Ranchod, Cheryl Adams, Angeliki Carvounes, Kathryn Dreyer, Jacqui Stewart PDF
October 16, 2016 in Research Outputs, Ronelle Burger, Servaas van der Berg, Theses, Theses 2016

Healthcare reform priorities for South Africa: Four essays on the financing, delivery and user acceptability of healthcare

Candidate: Anna Maria Smith Supervisor: Professor Ronnel Burger Co-supervisor: Professor Servaas van der Berg Institution: Stellenbosch University, Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences, Department of Economics Abstract: Despite…
October 16, 2016 By: Rulof Burger, Servaas van der Berg, Anna Maria Smith (Candidate) PDF
June 19, 2016 in Research Outputs, Ronelle Burger, Servaas van der Berg, Theses, Theses 2016

The assessment and improvement of the health status of vulnerable and low income individuals in South Africa: an analysis using quantitative and experimental methods

Candidate: Laura Rossouw Supervisor: Professor Ronelle burger Co-supervisor: Professor Servaas van der Berg Institution: Stellenbosch University, Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences, Department of Economics   Abstract: More than…
June 19, 2016 By: Ronelle Burger, Servaas van der Berg, Laura Rossouw (candidate) PDF
April 29, 2016 in Anja Smith, Health, Health - Publications, Journal Articles, Publications, Research Outputs, Ronelle Burger

Strengthening the measurement of quality of public health care

  Abstract There is growing recognition that access to healthcare facilities is unlikely to improve health outcomes if the quality of the care provided at…
April 29, 2016 By: Anja Smith, Ronelle Burger, Laura Rossouw, Shivani Ranchod PDF