Skills gaps must be addressed to advance behavioural and cultural insights, joint ECDC-WHO/Europe study unveils

Public health authorities from 23 Member States in the WHO European Region participated in the study, sharing their insights and experiences in working with BCI for health. 

Growing commitment and optimism for future BCI work 

The study reveals a prevailing sense of dedication and optimism towards future BCI initiatives, with positive anticipation regarding the evolution of BCI practices in their respective countries over the next five years. 

“This is a time of momentum, and we need to build on it because there is growing interest in applying a more evidence-based and a more participatory approach to understanding and enabling health behaviours,” remarked Katrine Bach Habersaat, WHO/Europe’s Regional Advisor for BCI.

During the interviews, BCI emerged as an effective and efficient mechanism to address health challenges, complementing other interventions. While recognizing that the recently adopted BCI resolution along with the BCI action framework and associated reporting requirements together act as positive drivers of change, country representatives also identified significant barriers hindering the expansion of BCI work. 

Skills gaps and resources must be addressed 

Public health authorities emphasized the importance of addressing skills gaps to fulfill ambitious commitments, notably in relation to behavioural and social sciences, problem definition and understanding, and trialling and impact evaluation. Other key barriers cited were insufficient human resources, financial constraints, and time limitations. These challenges impede the translation of evidence into policy interventions and the application of BCI findings in health policies, practices, and communications. Organizational culture and disjointed research-to-decision-making processes further compound these challenges. 

“This domain remains underfunded, underexplored, and underutilized, necessitating increased investment and prioritization,” said John Kinsman, ECDC Expert on Social and Behaviour Change. 

Views on the future for increasing BCI work for health 

Envisioning the future of BCI endeavors in health, respondents proposed a range of actions to overcome barriers and bolster BCI implementation. Within countries, priorities include addressing skills gaps, allocating sustainable resources such as dedicated staff, funding, and time, strengthening the link between evidence and decision-making, and fostering organizational cultures conducive to effective knowledge translation.