Empowering Households and Individuals to Co-produce Positive Health Outcomes

Abstract

Addressing the burden of chronic disease begins at home. Many of the leading causes of ill health in member countries in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) are caused, at least in part, by modifiable risk factors like diet, physical inactivity, tobacco use, and alcohol consumption, among others that become embedded in families' daily routines, making change difficult even when they want to adopt healthier behaviors. Once chronic disease or an acute episode strikes, effective management likewise requires patients to be active partners in designing and managing their own care. New solutions are needed to make it easier for families and individuals to sustain long-term care for chronic conditions; to help them become active partners in their medical care; and to empower them to adopt and maintain new behaviors for longer and healthier lives