Public Health Authorities Address Challenges in Promoting Behavioral and Cultural Information for Health
A recent study conducted by the WHO/Europe BCI Unit in collaboration with the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) has highlighted the key challenges that need to be addressed to promote the use of behavioral and cultural information (BCI) in countries. Public health authorities from 23 Member States of the WHO European Region participated in the study, sharing their insights and experiences in working with BCIs for health.
The study revealed that the availability of expertise, resources, and ad hoc systems are the key challenges hindering the expansion of BCI work. Despite a prevailing sense of dedication and optimism towards future BCI-based initiatives, national representatives identified significant barriers such as skills and resource gaps, financial constraints, and time constraints.
BCIs were recognized as an effective and efficient mechanism for addressing health challenges, complementing other interventions. However, the translation of collected evidence into policy interventions and the application of BCI findings in health policies, practices, and communications were impeded by organizational culture and disjointed processes between research and decision making.
“This area remains underfunded, underexplored, and underutilized, and requires greater investment and prioritization,” said John Kinsman, an ECDC expert on social and behavioral change. Despite the challenges, there is growing interest in applying a more evidence-based and participatory approach to understanding health behaviors, with positive anticipations regarding the evolution of practices in the respective countries over the next five years.
The recently adopted BCI resolution, together with the framework for action and related reporting requirements, were seen as positive drivers of change. However, more needs to be done to address the barriers hindering the expansion of BCI work and to capitalize on the momentum in this area.
Overall, the study highlights the importance of addressing the challenges in promoting behavioral and cultural information for health and the need for greater investment and prioritization in this area. It calls for a more evidence-based and participatory approach to understanding health behaviors to improve public health outcomes in the WHO European Region.
March 15, 2024
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