PNS146 WHAT APPROACH SHOULD BE TAKEN IN ORDER TO EFFECTIVELY MANAGE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH RISK FACTORS? A CONSENSUS PANEL ANALYSIS FOR GREECE

Abstract

To assess which modifiable health risk factors should be the priorities of health policy and which management approaches would be most feasible and effective in the Greek environment. A digital delphi panel was conducted, consisting of experts in healthcare and health policy, seeking convergence with the use of a close-end questionnaire. The risk factors prioritized in the study were: road safety, physical activity, dietary risks, smoking, alcohol consumption, unsafe sexual behavior, obesity and substance use. Additionally, various health policy measures were assessed on terms of effectiveness and importance for each risk factor. Overall, 23 health professionals participated in the panel. Regarding prioritization, smoking ranked first (9.45/10), followed by obesity (8.35/10) and dietary risks (8.00/10), while unsafe sexual behavior ranked last (5.16/10). Current health policy for the selected risk factors was assessed ineffective, since road safety policy ranked first with 2.48/5, while health policy on obesity ranked last at 1.37/5. Sin taxes on products related to the selected risk factors were assessed quite effective by the panel, as higher taxation on sugary beverages gathered the highest score of 3.95/5, while VAT increase in red meat gathered the lowest score of 2.86/5. Regarding individual measures for each risk factor, prohibition of use in public spaces ranked as the most important measure for the management of smoking (9.22/10), expansion of sport facilities for the promotion of physical activity (8.65/10), while health promotion ranked as the most important approach for the management of alcohol consumption (9.18/10), dietary risks (9.09/10), obesity (8.70/10), substance use (8.64/10) and road safety (8.86/10). Based on the results, effective health policy for the management of the main behavioral risk factors is yet to be achieved. Health promotion and sin taxes are considered the most efficient approach to be utilized in health policies for the management of behavioral risk factors.