Nudging in healthcare

Measles represents a highly contagious, serious disease caused by a virus and although a safe and cost-effective vaccine is available for its prevention, it is still among the top causes for death among young children over the globe. Despite the number of deaths caused by measles having been significantly reduced in the past decades, there is still apparent room for improvement toward global eradication of this disease. Although the vaccine against measles is one of the best examples of providing positive externalities for public health, many are still skeptical of its effects, or they are not being reached by routine health services administering its doses. Due to persisting vaccination coverage gaps, there has been an increased focus on enhancing general vaccination systems to help sustain achievements made so far. This book, while utilizing insights from behavioral economics and applying them to existing health policies on vaccination, deals with questions such as whether small nudges really have a substantial influence on compliance of population with vaccinations, or if there is a direct link between nudging and higher vaccination rates.

Autorentext

Ing. Samuel Turányi, M.A. achieved his Master degree at the Prague University of Economics, after completing his minor in International Health & Social Management at the Management Center Innsbruck. He regularly attends academic conferences, like Österreichischer Impftag, and applies economic theories to healthcare issues such as vaccinations.