Welcome to The Healthy Nudge. Each month, we'll get you up to speed on the latest developments in policy-relevant health behavioral economics research at CHIBE.
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Commenting on Drs. Nick Chater and George Loewenstein's i-frame and s-frame paper, Dr. Christina Roberto offers her thoughts on the individual (i-frame) vs systemic (s-frame) intervention debate and agrees with the authors that the behavioral science field should shift its attention away from i-frame interventions.
"The TED talk, op-ed, or podcast offering quick, sexy fixes to major societal problems is exciting. The truth, that many of our biggest problems require unsexy and politically difficult solutions, is less exciting. As a result, funders, policymakers, aspiring celebrity scientists, and concerned citizens are more motivated to believe in the promise of i-frame solutions than s-frame ones. Corporations that help drive our biggest societal problems (e.g., food companies that make and market unhealthy foods) are also more likely to promote i-frame solutions because they do not threaten their bottom lines. Further, they delight in the popularity of research that encourages people to view issues like unhealthy diets, climate disasters, and financial insecurity as matters of personal responsibility that must be dealt with by empowering individuals to exert greater self-control." Read more here.
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A BMC Cardiovascular Disorders paper by CHIBE authors: Tamar Klaiman, PhD; MPH, Michael Josephs, BS; Louise B. Russell, PhD; Laurie Norton, MA, MBE; Shivan Mehta, MD, MBA; Andrea Troxel, ScD; Jingsan Zhu, MS, MBA; Kevin Volpp, MD, PhD, David Asch, MD, MBA (and former CHIBE member L. G. Iannotte)
"Heart failure is one of the most common reasons for hospital admission and is a major cause of morbidity, mortality, and increasing health care costs. The EMPOWER study was a randomized trial that used remote monitoring technology to track patients’ weight and diuretic adherence and a state-of-the-art approach derived from behavioral economics to motivate adherence to the reverse monitoring technology.
Our qualitative analysis indicates potential areas for additional exploration and consideration to design better behavioral economic interventions to improve cardiovascular health outcomes for patients with heart failure. Patients appreciated lottery incentives for adhering to program requirements; however, many were too far along in their disease progression to benefit from the intervention. Clinicians found the amount and frequency of electronic alerts burdensome and felt they did not improve patient outcomes." Read more here.
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Sophia Hua, PhD, MPH, is a new CHIBE-affiliated faculty member and an Assistant Professor of Medical Ethics and Health Policy at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine. Her research aims to prevent diet-related chronic diseases by identifying and evaluating strategies to promote a healthier food environment in an equitable manner. Her work tests innovative behavioral science interventions such as using descriptors to prompt reduced portions in the restaurant setting and signs to steer consumers toward healthier options. Read this Q&A to learn more about one of our newest members.
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What is the cost effectiveness of calorie labeling at large U.S. fast-food chains? This study found: "Calorie labeling is estimated to be cost saving; prevent 550,000 cases of obesity in 2027 alone, including 41,500 cases of childhood obesity; and save $22.60 in health care costs for every $1 spent by society in implementation costs. Calorie labeling is also projected to prevent cases of obesity across all racial and ethnic groups and all income groups." Read more here.
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Commenting on fruit and vegetable "prescriptions" and their impact on improvement in blood pressure or blood sugar levels, Dr. Kevin Volpp said, “We really need randomized trials to answer that question more systematically." While eating a healthy diet likely improves health, “we can’t really precisely estimate” how much produce someone should eat per day without more data, he added. Read the Washington Post article here.
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Join us for an research seminar with Otis W. Brawley, MD, on September 28 from noon to 1 PM ET. This event is hosted by the Division of Health Policy, CHIBE, Penn Center for Cancer Care Innovation, and the Cancer Control Program.
Dr. Brawley, Bloomberg Distinguished Professor of Oncology and Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins University, will speak about: "Cancer Control in the 21st Century: Observations on Disparities in Health."
Hybrid Event:
In Person: 1104 Blockley Hall, 423 Guardian Drive
CHIBE is one of the co-hosts of this National Academies’ webinar on "What is the Future of Behavioral Economics and Public Policy? Takeaways from Behavioral Economics: Policy Impact and Future Directions." This will be a webinar on the recently released National Academies’ consensus report "Behavioral Economics: Policy Impact and Future Directions." Stefano DellaVigna, PhD, MA, member of the authoring committee for the report, will share key takeaways from the report. Following the presentation, Katy Milkman, PhD, member of the National Academies’ Board on Behavioral, Cognitive, and Sensory Sciences and a CHIBE affiliate, will engage Dr. DellaVigna in a dialogue about his presentation.
September 29, 2023
12 PM - 12:45 PM ET
*Save the date* and stay tuned for more details on another event on the recently released National Academies’ consensus report "Behavioral Economics: Policy Impact and Future Directions" on November 16 at noon ET with CHIBE Scientific Director Alison Buttenheim, PhD, MBA, who served as a co-chair of the National Academies' committee.
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December 5, 2023 – February 5, 2024*
Penn staff, faculty, and graduate or professional students with approval from their program, as well as individuals with health care or relevant work experience are invited to take this 6-week long, online graduate course. Each week follows a pattern of asynchronous learning through brief videos, readings, written discussions with classmates, and real-world projects and assignments, plus a 1-hour synchronous class. Penn employees may use tuition benefits toward this course. This course is part of the Master of Health Care Innovation (MHCI) curriculum. A 4-course certificate is also available.
*Note: This is a multi-term course that spans from the fall term to the spring term. Students must take BOTH parts of the course. Students will earn 0.5 cu in each term for a 1 cu total for the course. Student will earn 1 letter grade for the entire multi-term course.
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The Center for Health Incentives and Behavioral Economics is seeking a highly-motivated Research Coordinator to join the Behavioral Economics and Global Health Insights (BEGIN) Lab led by Dr. Alison Buttenheim and Dr. Harsha Thirumurthy. The candidate will be responsible for supporting and overseeing the day-to-day operations of several research projects focused on using behavioral economics insights to promote various health behaviors related to HIV/AIDS and non-communicable diseases. The projects will take place in South Africa, India, Kenya, and the United States. The position may require occasional travel to study sites overseas for durations ranging from 2 weeks or longer depending on study needs. The Research Coordinator will work directly with the study principal investigators, the BEGIN Lab's project manager, community partners, and other team members. Essential functions of this position will include but are not limited to: developing study protocols and procedures; managing ethics and regulatory requirements; assisting with literature reviews, manuscript and abstract development; supporting the BEGIN Lab's website, social media platforms, and events; assisting with data management, quality assurance of data in accordance with study protocols; and other research duties as needed. Apply Here. |
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