Cass Sunstein recently has published the short guide to nudging and those interested in any concrete application should look at these ten tools:
1. Defaults
2. Simplification
3. Social norms
4. Increases in convenience
5. Disclosure
6. Warnings
7. Precommitments
8. Reminders
9. Eliciting intentions
10. Informing people of the nature and consequences of their own past choices.
Wether they may work or not depends on the details and environment. The hardest task.
Recreational genetics is entering into the consumer market. I have explained that governments should be active in restricting such practices because they are closely related with false advertising. Beyond that, governments should be aware also about the implications of creating anxiety in population. This documentary asks if patients should know about their genes, when there is no treatment.
Les médecinslibéraux françaisontinitié une grèvejusqu'au 31Décembre. Les raisons sont dansle projet de loi de santé qui disent l'"etatalisation" dusystème de santé. Ils demandent vraimentune augmentationde 8,6% des prix de visitesde23 à 25€ . Aujourd'hui, je ailul'éditorialde Le Monde:
Le revenu annuel moyen brut d'un generaliste est de 76.600 euros et celui d'un spécialiste de 121.00 euros. Ces revenus restent inférieurs de 25% à 30% à ceux de leurs homologues européens.
Pas mal. Les médecinsurgence de l'hôpital ont déclaréune autregrève, leministre a admis debaisserde 20% lenombre d'heures travailléespar an (!). Cela on peut dire que est un parfait opportunisme, selon le dictionnaire. L'agitation pour la nouvelle loiest servi. De mêmeen Francese plaignentd'un projet de loide nationalisationinexistante, près d'iciil ya des gensqui parlent deprivatisationlorsque toutes lesentités sont sous le contrôle publique. Laperversion du langagea atteint les limitesde l'empoisonnementde l'environnement.
The need for action in mental health is increasingly recognised. Although relevant improvements have been introduced in developed countries, there is a common view that more should be done. Some diseases like depression are at the top of the burden of disease and bring enormous pain and suffering to individuals and their families and communities. An interesting recent report has been released on the topic. This is the infographic:
After Canada, the first european country that has allowed recreational genetic testing is UK. Some weeks ago the Ethics Research Committee approved the commercialisation of 23andme test that provides 100 genetic reports. Wired says:
The £125 spit test kit is not a diagnostic test, but instead
identifies genes that are associated with inherited conditions
including cystic fibrosis, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease
and sickle cell anaemia. It's not just health information that can
be discovered within the results of the test though -- there is
also the opportunity for customers to learn more about their
inherited traits and genetic ancestry.
Why has the UK approved it and the FDA has restricted the same test in the US?. Some months ago I explained that european legislation was outdated. Now the genetic testing firm has profited from bad regulation to enter into european market with CE mark. Does anybody know where the regulator is spending their holiday?
Our decision making patterns are based on multiple foundations. The new WB report summarises them in three sources: automatic, social and mental models. In chapter 8 you'll find applications to health. Some of them may be naive, while others potentially useful. There is a trial and error process in all this stuff because of cultural implications. If there is a particular area to focus on, it is on health communication for behavioural change. There is a lot to learn from behavioral economics:
Understanding that people think automatically, interpret the world based on implicit mental models, and think socially allows policy makers to make major strides in improving health outcomes. Individuals sometimes value information highly (for example,
when seeking curative care), but at other times providing information is not sufficient to get people to change behaviors that undermine health. Framing effects that make social expectations and social approval more salient can sometimes encourage individuals to seek preventive care and adhere to treatment when they otherwise would not, even though the individual benefits exceed the individual cost.
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