Behavioural insights during the COVID-19 pandemic: evaluation and recommendations for applying a standard data collection tool in a health emergency

Overview

In March 2020 the WHO Regional Office for Europe, supported by Erfurt University, Germany, launched a behavioural insights (BI) survey tool to explore the factors affecting COVID-19 mitigation and prevention behaviours. The tool was used by stakeholders within 30 of the 53 Member States between 2020 and 2022. A process evaluation of the use of this tool conducted to develop recommendations for future BI tools comprised 44 semi-structured interviews with national and international experts and a Delphi survey. The interviewees had insightful views on the use of the tool and considered data collection as essential. The key challenge was identifying opportunities to use and integrate the data into decision-making related to policy, measures, services and communication. For future health emergency responses, interviewees recommended building on the lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic to (i) revise a BI data collection framework with a template format and validated question bank, ensuring data quality and robust methods, (ii) advocate for resources to incorporate behavioural and cultural insight (BCI) work into emergency preparedness and response, (iii) build capacity in BCI at all levels, (iv) strengthen coordination between BI experts, health authorities and policy-makers within and across countries, and (v) prioritize translating the findings into action.