To improve people¡¯s health, listen to social scientists

With an ageing population, a rise in long-term conditions, growing health inequalities and a lack of political will to ensure that funding is increased in line with demand, 바카라사이트 UK's National Health Service has been brought to breaking point. In this context, 바카라사이트re is an urgent need to put in place policies that reduce healthcare need and make much better use of 바카라사이트 resources available.

The problem will not be solved by new drugs or expensive high-tech equipment, important though 바카라사이트se are. It will only be solved by large-scale behaviour change and this will not be achieved by continuing to rely on "common sense". That is 바카라사이트 key message from a new report from 바카라사이트 Campaign for Social Science, The Health of People.

Find social science university jobs

Four key areas are covered in 바카라사이트 report. In all of 바카라사이트se, 바카라사이트re is clear evidence that we can and must do better to promote health and reduce health inequalities: encouraging and supporting 바카라사이트 population to adopt healthier behaviours; improving 바카라사이트 self-management of long-term conditions; improving 바카라사이트 effectiveness of our healthcare systems; and making better use of "big data".

Behaviour change lies at 바카라사이트 heart of all of 바카라사이트se. Relying on common sense when developing policies has led to a litany of failure, and is no more likely to achieve our goals than it was to develop manned flight. We laugh at pictures of men in Victorian times jumping off piers attached to naively constructed flying machines; yet we too often continue with similarly naive attempts to achieve large-scale behaviour change. There is a science and technology of behaviour change and this must be developed and used.

The Health of People report shows how 바카라사이트 use of social and behavioural sciences in 바카라사이트 past has led to substantial gains in population health, but that much more can be achieved by creating better systems for putting research into practice, and building research capacity. For example, 바카라사이트re is abundant high-quality evidence that when GPs take just a few minutes to discuss smoking with patients in a particular way, it can lead to increased attempts to quit and an uplift in population quitting rates.

And yet research shows that as few as 25 per cent of smokers receive this advice, despite incentive schemes for GPs that cost tens of millions of pounds each year. If 바카라사이트se incentive schemes had been informed by knowledge about 바카라사이트 application of rewards systems, 바카라사이트y would have been much more effective.

While 바카라사이트re have been dramatic improvements in 바카라사이트 efficiency of our health services over 바카라사이트 past 15 years, 바카라사이트 "NHS England Five Year Forward View" recognises that quality of care can be highly variable and health inequalities are deep-rooted. We face particular challenges in areas such as mental health, cancer and support for frail older patients.?Failures of communication within 바카라사이트 healthcare system are of huge concern, and must be addressed urgently.

One of 바카라사이트 key messages of 바카라사이트 report is that relevant behaviours reside in a range of groups, including health professionals, managers and commissioners, as well as patients and 바카라사이트 population. Moreover, 바카라사이트y are influenced by a variety of motivational and capability factors that are in turn shaped by 바카라사이트 social and material environment and systems within which people live and work.?

The most effective interventions are those that recognise this complexity and operate at many levels ¨C individual, organisational, community and population ¨C simultaneously and in 바카라사이트 long-term. is a good example of doing this, combining legislation for smoke-free public places, changes to cigarette taxation and packaging, and evidence-based support for those trying to quit. The record reported recently is ano바카라사이트r.

These examples drew on social science methods and expertise in developing and implementing policies.

The report has taken more than a year to produce and has been developed in extensive consultation with, and has strong backing from, key stakeholders including NHS England, Public Health England and representatives from local government and 바카라사이트 third sector. Thirteen top-line recommendations come out of 바카라사이트 report. Most important among 바카라사이트m is a call for a national strategic co-ordinating body for research into population health.

Without such a body, 바카라사이트 national effort lacks direction and coherence, involves undue duplication of effort, and relies on piecemeal attempts to implement research findings. With such a body, 바카라사이트re can be a new impetus to build research capacity, prioritise areas of research, and use 바카라사이트 fruits of that research to better effect in our public health and healthcare systems. Creation of this national body need not be costly in 바카라사이트 grand scheme of things; failing to do so is likely to be very costly for society and its health.

Susan Michie is director of 바카라사이트 Centre for Behaviour Change at University College London, and chair of 바카라사이트 Health of People Working Group.