Introduction
Why do some patients neglect to take medications that could prevent serious diseases and improve their quality of life? Why do individuals not engage in daily physical activity despite being aware of its positive impact on their health? And are there tools that can contribute to improving the performance of the healthcare sector?
Background
For more than a decade, psychologists have been studying human behavior to understand the most effective ways to guide individuals toward making better decisions—such as adopting healthy habits—and to encourage healthcare providers to invest in innovative models of care.
Behavioral Economics
Out of this effort emerged the field of Behavioral Economics, which combines economics and psychology to provide important insights into how individuals make decisions.
Traditional economic theory assumes that individuals are rational consumers who make choices to maximize their utility. However, numerous experimental and field studies have shown that people often struggle to make sound decisions. These decisions become even more challenging when individuals face options involving risk or when they must weigh present versus future costs and benefits.
Behavioral economics shows that common psychological factors—such as loss aversion, or the tendency to prefer immediate rewards over future ones—significantly influence people’s decision-making.
Additional Resources
For more on this topic, you can refer to the detailed Hooz report through this link.
