Using Behavioral Economics to Encourage Parent Behavior Change: Opportunities to Improve Clinical Effectiveness

Abstract

Pediatric clinical practice often involves improving child health by changing parents' behavior. Strategies from behavioral economics-a field that leverages predictable patterns in human decision making to overcome barriers to behavior change-can improve health outcomes in adults. Although more research is needed, the application of these approaches to parent behavior change in pediatric settings has the potential to improve the clinical effectiveness of child health care. We review the foundational concepts of behavioral economics and identify the unique role of pediatricians in motivating parent behavior change. We then discuss how to apply 4 key strategies in practice-message framing, use of defaults, enhanced active choice, and harnessing social forces-to support parent decision making to improve child health. Leveraging behavioral economic principles around parental decision making has the potential to supercharge program effectiveness and improve patient and family health.

Applying Behavioral Economics to Enhance Safe Firearm Storage

“…1 By addressing the subtle decision errors that occur in everyday life, behavioral economics offers insights and tools that can support better choices. Although pediatricians and behavioral economists recently have collaborated on ideas to support parental behavior change and boost clinical effectiveness (notably around vaccination), [3][4][5] the important topic of pediatric firearm injuries has not yet been explored through a behavioral economic lens.…”

Public acceptability of nudges targeting parents and children to improve children's health outcomes: results from an online experiment

“…Studying the effect of acceptable nudges with a known effect in adults on behavior changes in children is another promising direction for future research. So far, few nudges have been applied to both parents and children, even if some have advocated for their potential (Stevens, 2014;Jenssen et al, 2019). In one study, financial incentives are used to create a habit of eating more vegetables among schoolchildren (Loewenstein et al, 2016).…”

“…More coercive interventions, such as regulations and taxes, have had some success in changing behaviors, but many others have faced significant political and legal resistance (Morain et al, 2016;Lee et al, 2019). Nudges, which are choice-preserving policy options, represent a promising alternative for promoting healthy behaviors in children (Thaler & Sunstein, 2008;Jenssen et al, 2019). The last few years have seen an exponential growth in the number of interventions rooted in behavioral sciences aimed at promoting socially desirable behaviors, including health-promoting behaviors (Marteau et al, 2011;Halpern et al, 2012;Loewenstein et al, 2012;Vallgarda, 2012;Milkman et al, 2013;Halpern et al, 2015;Hansen et al, 2016;Reisch et al, 2017).…”

The Contribution of Reminder-Recall to Vaccine Delivery Efforts: A Narrative Review

“…42 Message effectiveness may be further enhanced by including principles of behavioral economics such as message framing or utilizing social norms. 43 However a better understanding of what principles work best for which vaccines may be needed since not all studies suggest these methods are effective for increasing vaccination. 44 The role of hesitancy is suggested by comparing the impact of reminders for initial versus second influenza vaccination among children eligible for 2 doses.…”