Measuring and maximizing public support for health policies: Behavioural and Cultural Insights policy brief series

Public support for health policies is a sometimes overlooked yet essential element of policy development and implementation. Public support influences the likelihood that a policy will be introduced, how likely it is to remain implemented, and its success. This policy brief explores why and how to measure public support, and how to maximize support for evidence-based and effective health policies. Measuring public support not only helps to identify possible barriers to implementation and policy success, but also gives the public a voice in the policy-making process, which can increase trust and improve government–public relations. Many factors influence whether the public support or oppose health policies in specific contexts. Understanding why a specific policy achieves low or high support can inform decisions to change or redesign the policy or to invest in more effective communications. Integrating behavioural and cultural insights at all stages of the policy-making process can help to ensure rigorous research is conducted to inform and evaluate strategies to introduce and implement evidence-based health policies. Understanding the public, giving it a voice, and using these insights to maximize policy support will have a profound effect on bringing about more successful health policies.