2022/06/16 Behavioural sciences for better health initiative

Health outcomes are determined by human behaviors. Behavioral and social sciences investigate the cognitive, social, and environmental drivers and barriers that influence health-related behavior. The understanding of what influences the behaviors at personal, community, and population levels can improve the development of policies and programs, processes of communications, and the design of products and services toward better health for all. Applying behavioral and social sciences requires a multidisciplinary approach and the adoption of theory, methods, research, practical tools and techniques drawn from psychology, sociology, anthropology, communications, marketing, economics, systems thinking and design thinking, among others. Behavioral and social science evidence can contribute to and complement other public health efforts that focus on non-medical factors that influence health outcomes. The objective of the Behavioral Science for Health initiative at WHO is to promote and enable the systematic use of behavioral and social sciences in public health work of WHO and global partners. 

Five workstreams were proposed in this initiative: 

Strategy and normative

Testing approaches and piloting projects

Technical assistance and capacity building

Knowledge sharing

Positioning and partnerships

The initiative provides support for the use of behavioral and social sciences as part of policy development, program design, research, communication and advocacy, and capacity building and training.