Open AccessAn Account of Collective Actions in Public Health
Author(s) -
Gil Siegal,
Neomi Siegal,
Richard J. Bonnie
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
american journal of public health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.284
H-Index - 264
eISSN - 1541-0048
pISSN - 0090-0036
DOI - 10.2105/ajph.2008.152629
Subject(s) - collective action , public health , action (physics) , herd immunity , public relations , political science , environmental health , psychology , public economics , medicine , economics , politics , law , population , nursing , physics , quantum mechanics
Aggregated health decisions by individuals are of paramount importance to public health professionals and policymakers, especially in situations where collective participation is a prerequisite for achieving an important public health goal such as herd immunity. In such circumstances, concerted action often falls short of the common good through lack of sufficient participation. Collective action problems are traditionally attributed to rational egoists seeking to promote their interests and enjoy a "free ride." We call attention, however, to the behavioral features of collective action and their implications for solving public health policy problems.