Behavioural and cultural insights
Behavioural and cultural insights (BCI) for health can help tackle persistent health challenges that involve human behaviour. Engaging with BCI involves exploring the factors that affect health behaviours and then using this insight to improve the outcomes of health policies, services and communication, thereby delivering better health and reducing inequity. Such insight can be gained by drawing on evidence and methods from disciplines as diverse as psychology, sociology, economics, anthropology, political science and cultural studies.
Global evidence shows that behavioural and cultural insights (BCI) have been used successfully to improve health outcomes in areas such as antimicrobial resistance, immunization, health emergencies, mental health, uptake of preventative services and hospital appointments, health inequities, noncommunicable disease risk behaviours, and HIV/AIDS. For case examples, see the BCI-Hub.
The WHO/Europe Behavioural and Cultural Insights (BCI) Unit was established in 2020 as a flagship initiative to lead efforts, advance evidence and provide technical guidance to countries in the field of BCI.
The BCI Unit offers:
- country support for BCI work across health areas
- capacity-building through online and face-to-face trainings
- evidence-based guidance documents and tools
- an online BCI knowledge hub for evidence and case example
- facilitation of interaction among Member States, WHO, and regional organizations and actors.
The flagship initiatives - European programme of work