A joint call for action to embrace a more evidence-based and people-centred approach to health behaviours has now been published in Elsevier’s Public Health in Practice. Behaviours are at the core of many public health challenges, from inappropriate antibiotic use to low vaccination uptake, alcohol and tobacco consumption, and physical inactivity. All of these are deeply rooted in complex individual and social contexts.
The call for action is published in the form of a meeting statement from the first regional meeting on behavioural and cultural insights (BCI) for health, which was hosted by WHO in Copenhagen in 2023 and brought together 112 representatives of public health authorities from Europe and central Asia, as well as international partner organizations and WHO experts.
“Enabling, supporting and promoting positive health-related behaviours is critical in addressing key health challenges, and the multifaceted nature of behaviours requires an evidence-based and people-centred approach”, explains Katrine Bach Habersaat, WHO/Europe’s Regional Advisor for BCI.
Adopting a unified approach
Currently, studies show that common challenges across countries relate to financial and human resources, capacity, stakeholder engagement, and national strategic planning and prioritization of BCI initiatives.
To overcome these obstacles, the meeting statement lays out specific, actionable steps for national public health authorities, WHO and other international bodies to address, enable and support critical health behaviours. These include:
- building support among stakeholders – using WHO resolutions and advocacy to highlight the significance of BCI and establish mechanisms to allow cross-disciplinary collaboration for the integration of BCI;
- conducting research and applying insights – improving health policies, services and communication that seek to address behaviours;
- committing sustainable human and financial resources – securing necessary funding and human resources to support sustained implementation of BCI for health; and
- implementing strategic plans – systematically embedding BCI into national health plans and strategies across health areas.
Discussions at the meeting were informed by country reporting to WHO on BCI-related activities and an interview study with public health authorities looking at the opportunities and challenges with applying more effective approaches to health behaviours.
Looking ahead
The WHO/Europe meeting marked a significant step towards advancing the use of BCI across the Region. As expressed in the meeting statement, the responsibility to respond to this call now rests on public health authorities, WHO, and its global and regional partners, as well as academic institutions and the wider public health community. Achieving these goals will require a collaborative effort, a commitment to continuous learning and innovation, and a shared vision for a healthier future for all, leaving no one behind.