Our expert answers 3 Questions
My research ideas revolve around the influence of the environment, both institutional or social, on individual behavioral choices, in relation to an individual’s own health or the provision of health services to others.
Individual behavior choices are interesting to me because they are ultimately in the hands of the individual themselves, and not the policy makers. As such, these behaviors are not always aligned with achieving better health for the individual or those around them. While research evidence on what constitutes a “best practice” in achieving certain outcomes is important, understanding how to align the individual’s behavioral choices with what’s prescribed by evidence-based “best practices” is equally crucial. The latter is the focus of my research.
Some of the examples of practical applications of my work are exploring how social networks might be utilized in improving population health through promoting a positive behavior change, and how can workplace environments and incentives be used to elicit optimal nurse performance in acute care settings.