Best method for improving health-related behavior

Question

What do you think would be the most effective plan or method for improving health-related behavior at the population level, mass media or financial incentives? Why do you do you think so? What do you think can be done in achieving population-level health. 

Answer 1

This is a very interesting question, especially for me as a medical student. Financial incentives are powerful. However, mass media is powerful in an indirect way. The media can influence our values, our beliefs, our knowledge, and contribute to the socialization of our youth. I would say, the media could be a nice way to improve health-related behavior over the learn term. People will inadvertently be inclined to improve their health. However, for a more immediate improvement, I would go with financial incentive IF significant. If you give people a clear and easy way to make money, they will do it. BUT if the reward is negligible or too difficult or too unlikely to obtain, it will not produced the desired effect.