Brief Behaviour Change Counselling

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Healthcare professionals will benefit from this course as learning skills are demonstrated that will allow you to deliver Brief Behaviour Change Counselling (based on the best evidence available). Evidence shows that Brief Behaviour Change Counselling from a primary healthcare provider results in between 5–15% of patients changing their behaviour (examples include: increasing physical activity, stopping smoking or substance abuse, eating healthily and taking steps to address obesity or weight problems).

This course introduces a new approach to Brief Behaviour Change Counselling for healthcare professionals. The approach is rooted in both the 5A structure (Ask, Alert, Assess, Assist, and Arrange) and a guiding communication style, based on motivational interviewing principles.

Course Goal / Aim:

This course aims to train healthcare providers from diverse backgrounds, who work in a variety of settings, to use a best practice Brief Behaviour Change Counselling method for patients with risky lifestyle behaviours. Healthcare providers give evidence-based, accurate information, and offer effective guidance and referral.

Educational outcomes:

Upon completion of this course primary healthcare providers will be able to: 

1. distinguish and recognise the directive vs guiding style when conducting Brief Behaviour Change Counselling
   

2. demonstrate reflective listening during Brief Behaviour Change Counselling

3. elicit, recognise, respond and strengthen change talk during counselling

4. assess the patient’s readiness to change during brief behaviour change counselling

5. exchange information in a guiding style during brief behaviour change counselling

6. apply the 5As to each risky lifestyle behaviour and measure performance with the ABBCC tool.

Course information:

Effort: 6 hours 
Association: South African Academy of Family Physicians (SAAFP)
Language: English
Access duration: 6 months

Course Author(s):

Dr Zelra Malan, Stellenbosch University
Professor Bob Mash, Stellenbosch University

Course Audience:

This short course is aimed at professionals who deal with health-related behaviour change counselling, for example, physical activity, smoking, substance abuse, healthy eating and overweight/obesity.

Course Assessment:

Informal activities
This course contains informal activities which allows you to practice your new approach to Brief Behaviour Change Counselling on a colleague, friend, or family member, etc. The goal of this activity is to assist you in practicing the information that you have learned and contributes 10% towards your overall score in this course.

Role-play video assessment
You will be required to record yourself conducting the Brief Behaviour Change Counselling method during a consultation. Remember to always get consent from the person with whom you will be practicing this method on (i.e. a colleague, friend, or family member). A PDF Consent form is provided in the assessment section, and must be completed and uploaded with your video. Feedback will be provided by an assessor.

In order to obtain a Certificate of Competence, you need to achieve 55%. If you do not achieve this, you will not be given the opportunity to upload a second video. You will however receive a Certificate of Completion.