Public Health Change: Understanding Behavior Through Data

GeoPoll was recently at the Global Digital Health Forum in Nairobi. Most of the informative sessions stressed on the value of data and behavioral change. Any successful public health system relies on communities changing their social behaviors. Data helps identify areas that need to change and evaluate the effectiveness of the interventions.

Public health challenges are deeply intertwined with human behavior. From vaccine hesitancy to lifestyle habits driving non-communicable diseases (NCDs), understanding and influencing behavior is at the core of improving global health outcomes. While the importance of behavior change in public health is well established, accessing timely, reliable data on population behaviors remains a challenge, particularly in low-resource and hard-to-reach regions.

This is where innovative, data-driven approaches are bridging the gap. Mobile technology, in particular, has emerged as a critical tool for gathering insights into health behaviors quickly and efficiently. By identifying barriers to behavior change, understanding cultural contexts, and highlighting areas of intervention, real-time data empowers governments, NGOs, and healthcare organizations to design targeted solutions that drive measurable public health improvements.

The Critical Role of Behavior Change in Public Health

Behavior change is a cornerstone of public health initiatives worldwide. Whether it is encouraging communities to adopt preventive measures during a pandemic or promoting healthier lifestyles to combat rising NCDs, success hinges on understanding and influencing human behavior.

For example, the adoption of vaccines has been one of the most effective tools for combating infectious diseases. However, vaccine hesitancy—driven by fear, misinformation, and cultural beliefs—continues to undermine progress. Behavioral barriers often prevent individuals and communities from engaging in preventive or curative health measures, even when access to healthcare is available.

Similarly, lifestyle-related NCDs, such as heart disease, obesity, and diabetes, are on the rise worldwide. These conditions are directly tied to behaviors such as poor diet, lack of exercise, and smoking. Tackling these requires more than education; it demands actionable insights into the root causes of these behaviors, as well as culturally relevant approaches to encourage change.

Behavioral insights offer public health stakeholders the tools to:

• Identify the root causes of health behaviors, such as economic pressures, misinformation, or lack of access to services.
• Address gaps in knowledge through targeted communication and culturally appropriate messaging.
• Measure intervention effectiveness and adapt campaigns to improve outcomes.

Real-time, localized data is essential to understanding these nuances and informing strategies that resonate with specific populations. Without this data, even the best-funded initiatives may fall short of achieving behavior change.

Leveraging Mobile Data to Understand Health Behaviors

Mobile data collection has transformed public health research, particularly in regions where traditional survey methods face significant barriers. Mobile surveys are faster, more affordable, and capable of reaching geographically or socially inaccessible populations. They provide a window into real-time behaviors, allowing public health stakeholders to act quickly.

For example:

• Monitoring Pandemic Behaviors: During the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the Mpox and Ebola outbreaks, GeoPoll conducted rapid surveys to understand mask-wearing habits, social distancing compliance, and vaccine acceptance across multiple countries. These insights helped health authorities tailor awareness campaigns and address public concerns in real time.
• Maternal and Child Health and Nutrition: In areas where literacy levels are low, GeoPoll’s voice-based surveys for Unicef allowed mothers to share their experiences accessing healthcare services, identifying barriers such as distance to facilities, cost, health-seeking behaviour and access to nutrition services.
• Health Lifestyle Changes: Most public health initiatives require lifestyle changes at the community and individual levels. For example, many populations in LMICs practice open defecation due to a lack of latrines and toilets, which leads to the spread of many communicable diseases such as cholera, as food and water get contaminated. Mobile-based surveys can help understand the prevalence at the beginning and also to evaluate the impact of interventions. For example, GeoPoll worked with DFID’s Nyumba ni Choo in Tanzania to measure the improvement to sanitation after nationwide campaigns to sensitize populations.
• Nutrition and NCD Prevention: Behavioral surveys have highlighted the factors influencing poor dietary habits and sedentary lifestyles, offering actionable insights for intervention programs promoting healthier behaviors.

Mobile-based data collection overcomes common limitations of public health research, such as low response rates, high costs, and the time delays associated with face-to-face methods. The tools gather data quickly and effectively, and they provide a vital foundation for behavior change interventions.

Targeting Youth Behavior for Lasting Impact

Another great example where mobile-based surveys are particularly impactful is among the youth. Young people are at the forefront of public health challenges and solutions and are also the keys to sustainable interventions for the future. As the largest and fastest-growing demographic in many regions, youth are particularly vulnerable to issues such as mental health, risky behaviors, and NCDs. However, they are also digital natives who can serve as powerful advocates for behavior change within their families and communities.

• Mental Health Awareness: Increasing stress, depression, and stigma around seeking help are prevalent among young people. Behavioral data highlights the need for mental health education and accessible support systems, particularly in underserved regions. GeoPoll recently conducted a successful survey on mental health via our mobile app, which probably would not have been as successful among older people in rural areas.
• Sexual and Reproductive Health: Understanding youth attitudes toward sexual health, contraception, and education helps stakeholders develop culturally appropriate interventions. Surveys show that misconceptions and lack of access remain major barriers to informed decisions around sexual health. In the past, GeoPoll worked with PSI to conduct surveys on experience using the OraQuick Self-Test HIV kits.
• Lifestyle and NCD Risk: Youth behavior is foundational for preventing NCDs. Data indicates that sedentary lifestyles, poor nutrition, and smoking habits often begin during adolescence. By promoting behavior change early, public health initiatives can create healthier generations. One way of getting across this information is via the media – whether social or traditional – and this can be followed up by media monitoring.

Young people are not just participants but key drivers of change. With the right data, youth-centered interventions can be tailored to engage them meaningfully and amplify their role in achieving public health goals.

Combating Misinformation to Enable Positive Behaviors

Misinformation has become one of the greatest challenges to public health efforts. From myths about vaccines to misconceptions about diseases, misinformation can erode trust, hinder interventions, and exacerbate health crises.

Understanding misinformation requires continuous, real-time monitoring of public perceptions. For instance:

• When novel malaria vaccines were launched across Africa, a multicountry survey highlighted common fears and misconceptions, such as concerns about side effects or skepticism about efficacy. This data informed targeted awareness efforts that directly addressed these myths with factual, culturally sensitive messaging.
• In times of outbreaks, such as Mpox or COVID-19, misinformation about transmission methods created panic and led to harmful behaviors. GeoPoll’s rapid data collection enabled health organizations to respond quickly and correct these misunderstandings.

Using such surveys, public health stakeholders can design campaigns that rebuild trust and promote positive health behaviors by identifying misinformation early and understanding its spread.

Turning Behavioral Insights Into Actionable Change

Behavioral data is a powerful tool, but its value lies in its ability to drive real action. Insights gathered through innovative data solutions help public health organizations:

• Design effective policies: Governments can identify health priorities, allocate resources efficiently, and address systemic gaps in healthcare access.
• Measure and adapt campaigns: NGOs and health stakeholders can evaluate the success of their interventions, identify what works, and refine strategies for better outcomes.
• Improve healthcare delivery: Data highlighting barriers—such as cost, accessibility, or stigma—informs improvements in health systems and service delivery.

For instance, a campaign to increase vaccination rates may start with identifying why uptake is low, whether due to logistical challenges, misinformation, or cultural barriers. Behavioral data enables tailored solutions, such as awareness drives, improved access, or community engagement initiatives, ensuring the intervention achieves its goals.

The Bottomline

Behavior change is essential to solving the world’s most pressing public health challenges, from infectious disease outbreaks to the rising burden of NCDs. However, achieving behavior change requires a deep understanding of the factors influencing people’s actions. By leveraging innovative tools like mobile data collection, public health stakeholders can gather the insights needed to address barriers, combat misinformation, and design interventions that drive lasting impact.

From engaging youth populations to strengthening health systems and tackling misinformation, behavior-focused approaches informed by real-time data are transforming public health outcomes. As we face an increasingly complex global health landscape, the ability to understand and influence behavior will remain at the heart of building healthier, more resilient communities.

This is where GeoPoll comes in. Leveraging mobile technology and innovative data solutions, GeoPoll enables governments, NGOs, and public health organizations to gather real-time insights on behaviors that impact health. GeoPoll’s data empowers stakeholders to design targeted, actionable solutions that drive measurable improvements in public health. Please contact our team to learn more.