Principles and steps for applying a behavioural perspective to public health

Most public health challenges have a behavioural component. WHO and its partners can use behavioural sciences to enhance the design and implementation of policies and guidance, programmes, communications, research or capacity building.

This note outlines high-level principles and processes that can be used for the application of behavioural sciences to health. It is relevant for the development of a holistic behavioural strategy (a set of interventions) or a single behavioural intervention to address a public health challenge.

The WHO Technical Advisory Group (TAG) on behavioural insights and science for health developed six behavioural insights principles and five steps to support WHO’s efforts and those of its partners. The principles describe key concepts that underpin the application of behavioural science and that health professionals are encouraged to think about when applying behavioural science to their work. This is often referred to as adopting a behavioural science ‘mindset’, ‘perspective’ or ‘lens’.
The principles and steps developed by the TAG are a living product. They have been informally reviewed by members of WHO’s staff across the three levels of the organisation, they are continuously tested and applied in practice on a variety of topics and areas, and they will be periodically updated.