Training Health Professionals in the Use of Behaviour Change Techniques to Optimise Patient Care (Preprint)
Authors: Mullan Barbara , Liddelow Caitlin , Haywood Darren , Breare Hayley 
Published: August 2022

BACKGROUND

Rates of non-communicable diseases continue to rise worldwide. Many of these diseases are a result of engaging in behavioural risk factors. Without lifestyle and behavioural intervention, non-communicable diseases can worsen and develop into more debilitating diseases. Behavioural interventions are an effective strategy to reduce the burden of disease. Behaviour change techniques can be described as the ‘active ingredients’ in behaviour change and address the components that need to be altered in order for the target behaviour to change. Health professionals, such as pharmacists and nurses, can engage in opportunistic behaviour change with their patients, to encourage positive health behaviours.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to develop, implement and evaluate a behaviour change workshop targeted at health professionals in Australia, with the goal of increasing knowledge of behaviour change techniques and psychological variables.

METHODS

A prospective study design was used to develop and evaluate a 2-hour behaviour change workshop targeted at health professionals. The workshop was developed based on the COM-B model and had 5 core objectives: To (1) detail the role of health professionals in delivering optimal care; (2) demonstrate opportunities to change behaviour; (3) describe principles of behaviour change; (4) explain behaviour change techniques, and (5) determine the most appropriate behaviour change techniques to use and when. A total of 10 workshops were conducted. To evaluate the workshop and identify any potential long-term changes in behaviour, data on knowledge and psychological constructs were collected from the attendees pre- and post-workshop.

RESULTS

A final sample of 41 health professionals comprising of general practitioners, nurses, and pharmacists completed the pre and post-workshop survey. Following the workshops there was a significant improvement in knowledge of behavioural change techniques (t(40) = -5.11, P < .001), subjective norms (t(40) = -3.49, P = .001), descriptive norms (t(40) = -3.65, P < .001), perceived behavioural control (t(40) = -3.30, P = .002), and intention (t(36) = -3.32, P = .002). Each having a large effect. There was no significant difference in attitude post workshop (t(40) = .78, P = .44). The workshops were also found to be highly feasible and acceptable.

CONCLUSIONS

Ultimately, a 2-hour theoretically informed workshop, designed to facilitate the use of behavioural change techniques within health professionals, was shown to be largely effective. The workshops resulted in an increase in knowledge, descriptive norms, subjective norms, perceived behavioural control, and intention. The intervention was also shown to be highly feasible and acceptable with the large majority of participants deeming the intervention to be needed, useful, appropriate, and applicable, as well as interesting and worth their time. Future research should examine the lasting impacts of the workshop on health professionals’ practice.