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Making the change: Behavioural factors in person- and community-centred approaches for health and wellbeing

Drawing on robust studies on what influences behaviour, this report sets out a number of factors that can lead to greater involvement in self-care.

Drawing on robust studies of what influences behaviour, this report sets out a number of factors that can lead to greater involvement in self-care.

Key findings

This report highlights that a multi-faceted approach is needed to enable effective self-care. It identifies five enabling factors:

  1. growth mindset, self-efficacy and ‘grit’
  2. removing friction costs (i.e. removing increases in effort required to perform a behaviour)
  3. social connections
  4. intrinsic motivation
  5. goal setting and feedback.

It provides a framework for understanding the drivers of behaviour and includes examples and case studies to illustrate how the theories work in practice.

And explores the behavioural science theories that suggest new ways of enabling people and communities to take a more active role in managing their own health. These new approaches may help realise the vision set out in the NHS Five Year Forward View.

This report provides an accessible introduction to the theories of change behind a series of action-focused guides that will be published as part of the Realising the Value programme in autumn 2016.

It is aimed at policymakers, commissioners, service designers and organisations working to promote more person- and community-centered approaches for health and wellbeing.

Authors

Hannah Burd, Michael Hallsworth, the Behavioural Insights Team

Authors

Michael Hallsworth

Michael Hallsworth is Director of Health & Tax at the Behavioural Insights Team.

Hannah Burd

Hannah is an Advisor at the Behavioural Insights Team working predominantly as part of the Health team.