Advances in Behavioural Science to Support Patient and Carer Self-Management

A significant number of years of healthy life are lost globally due to poor behavioural and lifestyle choices, such as unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, tobacco use, and the harmful use of alcohol (World Health Organization, Global health risks: Mortality and burden of disease attributable to selected major risks, 2009). These are major risk factors for noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), and cancer. To improve population health outcomes, organisations—public or private—can intervene to shape the behaviours of patients and carers of NCDs. This chapter focuses upon how advances in behavioural science can support patient and carer self-management. In particular, we share insights from case studies of the application of behavioural insights in diabetes, CVDs, and cancer. We hope this chapter serves as a reference for policymakers and healthcare leaders from public or private organisations to consider potential ideas of applying behavioural insights in their programmes, or develop new interventions, with the aim to support and shape patients’ and carers’ behaviours in the management of NCDs, so as to promote high quality, affordable and equitable health, and care service delivery.