Patients' experiences of behaviour change interventions delivered by general practitioners during routine consultations

A nationally representative survey

Bibliographic Data

ID19506345
AuthorsChris Keyworth (0000-0002-7815-6174, Manchester Centre for Health Psychology Divisional of Psychology and Mental Health School of Health Sciences Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health The University of Manchester Manchester UK, corresponding author), Tracy Epton (0000-0002-1653-191X, Manchester Centre for Health Psychology Divisional of Psychology and Mental Health School of Health Sciences Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health The University of Manchester Manchester UK), Joanna Goldthorpe (0000-0001-7839-7544, Manchester Centre for Health Psychology Divisional of Psychology and Mental Health School of Health Sciences Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health The University of Manchester Manchester UK), Rachel Calam (0000-0002-4385-1687, Manchester Centre for Health Psychology Divisional of Psychology and Mental Health School of Health Sciences Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health The University of Manchester Manchester UK), Christopher J Armitage (0000-0003-2365-1765, Manchester Centre for Health Psychology Divisional of Psychology and Mental Health School of Health Sciences Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health The University of Manchester Manchester UK)
Year2021
Volume24
Issue3
Pages819-832
Publication date2021-06-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueHealth Expectations (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1369-6513 • E-ISSN: 1369-7625
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/hex.13221
PMID33662180
OpenAlexW3133528981
LanguageEN
Citations received5
References cited20

BACKGROUND: Consistent with the 'Making Every Contact Count' UK public health policy, general practitioners (GPs) are expected to provide patients with behaviour change interventions opportunistically. However, there is a belief widely held among GPs that patients neither want or need such interventions. We aimed to understand the following: (a) the characteristics of people attending GP appointments, (b) patients' needs for health behaviour change, (c) perceptions of appropriateness and helpfulness of interventions, and (d) factors associated with recall of receipt of interventions. METHODS: Cross-sectional nationally representative online survey of UK adults who had attended GP clinics in the preceding four weeks (n = 3028). Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression. RESULTS: 94.5% (n = 2862) of patients breached at least one health behaviour guideline, and 55.1% reported never having had a conversation with their GP about health behaviours. The majority of patients perceived intervention as appropriate (range 84.2%-87.4% across behaviours) and helpful (range 82.8%-85.9% across behaviours). Being male (OR = 1.412, 95% CI 1.217, 1.639), having a long-term condition (OR = 1.514, 95% CI 1.287, 1.782) and a higher number of repeat GP visits (OR = 1.016, 95% CI 1.010, 1.023) were among factors associated with recall of receipt of interventions. CONCLUSIONS: Patients perceived behaviour change intervention during routine GP consultations as appropriate and helpful, yet there are variations in the likelihood of receiving interventions according to sociodemographic factors. GPs could adopt a more proactive approach to behaviour change in patient consultations with the broad approval of patients. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: The questionnaire was piloted among a convenience sample prior to distribution

Behaviour change · Descriptive statistics · Family medicine · Guideline · Helpfulness · Logistic regression · Odds · Psychological intervention · Public health · Receipt · Behavioral Health and Interventions · Health Promotion and Cardiovascular Prevention · Medicine · Nursing · Obesity and Health Practices · Psychology · Social Psychology

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