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Health behavior interventions among people with lower socio-economic position: a scoping review of behavior change techniques and effectiveness

Authors :
Loes van den Bekerom
Laurens C. van Gestel
Jan W. Schoones
Jet Bussemaker
Marieke A. Adriaanse
Source :
Health Psychology and Behavioral Medicine, Vol 12, Iss 1 (2024)
Publication Year :
2024
Publisher :
Taylor & Francis Group, 2024.

Abstract

Background Behavior change interventions can unintendedly widen existing socio-economic health inequalities. Understanding why interventions are (in)effective among people with lower socio-economic position (SEP) is essential. Therefore, this scoping review aims to describe what is reported about the behavior change techniques (BCTs) applied within interventions and their effectiveness in encouraging physical activity and healthy eating, and reducing smoking and alcohol consumption according to SEP.Methods A systematic search was conducted in 12 electronic databases, and 151 studies meeting the eligibility criteria were included and coded for health behavioral outcomes, SEP-operationalization, BCTs (type and number) and effectiveness.Results Findings suggest that approaches for measuring, defining and substantiating lower SEP vary. Current studies of behavior change interventions for people of different SEP do not systematically identify BCTs, making systematic evaluation of BCT effectiveness impossible. The effectiveness of interventions is mainly evaluated by overall intervention outcomes and SEP-moderation effects are mostly not assessed.Conclusion Using different SEP-operationalizations and not specifying BCTs hampers systematic evidence accumulation regarding effective (combinations of) BCTs for the low SEP population. To learn which BCTs effectively improve health behaviors among people with lower SEP, future intervention developers should justify how SEP is operationalized and must systematically describe and examine BCTs.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
21642850
Volume :
12
Issue :
1
Database :
Directory of Open Access Journals
Journal :
Health Psychology and Behavioral Medicine
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
edsdoj.97e7676e924143869b2a4ed3b576219a
Document Type :
article
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1080/21642850.2024.2365931