A joint call to action to adopt a more evidence-based, person-centred approach to health behaviour has been published in Elsevier’s Public Health in Practice. Behaviours are at the heart of many public health challenges, from inappropriate antibiotic use to low vaccination coverage, alcohol and tobacco consumption and physical inactivity – all of which are deeply rooted in complex personal and societal circumstances.
The call to action comes in the form of a conference statement from the first regional conference on Behavioural and Cultural Insights for Health (BCI), which will be hosted by WHO in Copenhagen in 2023 and bring together 112 representatives of public health authorities from Europe and Central Asia, international partner organisations and WHO experts.
“Enabling, supporting and promoting positive health behaviours is crucial to addressing major health challenges, and the multifaceted nature of behaviour requires an evidence-based, people-centred approach,” explains Kathrin Bach-Herbsert, BCI Regional Advisor for WHO/Europe.
Adopt a unified approach
Currently, research has found that common challenges across countries relate to financial and human resources, capacity, stakeholder engagement, national strategic planning, and prioritization of BCI initiatives.
To overcome these obstacles, the conference statement outlines concrete, actionable steps that national public health authorities, WHO and other international organizations can take to address, enable and support key health behaviors, including:
Building support among stakeholders – Leveraging WHO resolutions and advocacy to highlight the importance of BCI and establishing mechanisms to enable multidisciplinary collaboration towards BCI integration. Conducting research and applying insights – Improving health policies, services and communications to address behaviors. Ensuring sustainable human and financial resources – Ensuring the necessary funding and human resources to support the sustained implementation of BCI for health. Implementing the strategic plan – Systematically embedding BCI into national health plans and strategies across the health sector.
Discussions at the meeting were based on country reports to WHO on their BCI-related activities and on interviews with public health officials who are examining the opportunities and challenges of applying more effective approaches to health behaviour.
Looking to the future
The WHO/Europe meeting marked an important step towards advancing the use of BCI across the region. As expressed in the meeting statement, the responsibility to answer this call rests with public health authorities, WHO, its global and regional partners, academic institutions and the broader public health community. Achieving these goals will require collaborative efforts, a commitment to continuous learning and innovation, and a shared vision for a healthier future for all, leaving no one behind.
