Behavioral economics and nudges in the promotion and prevention of public health. Systematic review

OBJECTIVE: To systematically evaluate the literature on the use and effectiveness of nudges based on Behavioral Economics (BE). METHODS: PubMed, Web of Science, Lilacs, and SciELO were searched; studies published in English, Portuguese, and Spanish between 2017-2021 that examined aspects of BE; quality was assessed using the Effective Public Health Practice Project. RESULTS: 81 studies were examined, 17 meeting the criteria. Most were conducted in the United States and published between 2019-2021, with strong (n = 12) and moderate (n = 5) quality, with a diversity of interventions practiced and differences in implementation methods. The selected studies demonstrated the effectiveness of strategies based on BE in the study subjects' health. CONCLUSIONS: In decision-making, behavior is a complex process requiring constant analysis from the BE, and BE is a promising approach to support more effective public health interventions.