Behavioural and cultural insights in the WHO European Region, 2023–2024: status and progress report

In 2022 Member States of the WHO European Region adopted a regional resolution on behavioural and cultural insights (BCI) with five strategic commitments related to: (i) stakeholder support; (ii) BCI research; (iii) use of BCI for programme improvement; (iv) investing resources; and (v) BCI strategies. Member States committed to reporting their BCI activities to WHO for 2021–2022, 2023–2024 and 2025–2026, and targets were set for (i) self-assessed implementation and (ii) quantitative measures. This report covers 2023–2024, with reports from health authorities in 46 countries, territories, areas and entities, representing 41 Member States. The data show important achievements. With sustained progress, health authorities can realistically reach the targets for self-levels and geographical settings. Case examples and considerations provided in the reporting support the overall conclusion of a continuously strengthened, rapidly evolving and vivid field of work. Still, for the quantitative measures, the results are further from the targets, and differences between income and geographical subgroups are significant. Also, while noteworthy success is documented, open-ended answers show that more work, collaboration and support are needed to successfully apply more evidence-based, people-centred and culturally grounded approaches to health behaviours in the Region. The report contains executive summary in English and Russian languages.