Barriers and enablers to delivering opportunistic behaviour change interventions during the COVID‐19 pandemic: A qualitative study in healthcare professionals

Abstract

Background: In line with public health policy, healthcare professionals (HCPs) working in the UK's National Health Service (NHS) are encouraged to deliver opportunistic health behaviour change interventions during routine consultations. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on healthcare delivery has been wide-ranging, but little is known about how the pandemic has affected the delivery of health behaviour change interventions. The present study aimed to examine the barriers and enablers to delivering opportunistic behaviour change interventions during the COVID-19 pandemic.Methods: Twenty-five qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted in January 2022 with a range of patient-facing healthcare professionals (including nurses, physiotherapists, dieticians, doctors and midwives) working in the NHS. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Results: Two overarching themes were generated: (1) the healthcare system's response to and (2) maintaining good HCP-patient relationships: reluctance and responsibility. COVID-19-related barriers included exacerbated staffing pressures and a perceived inability to use IT equipment to facilitate conversations about health behaviour change (due to poor internet connectivity or ill-equipped platforms). COVID-19-related enablers included the use of video consultations enabling less awkward and more honest conversations about health behaviours.

LeadinCare: A Qualitative Informed Digital Training Platform Development to Increase Physicians’ Soft Communication Skills After COVID-19

“…The study findings are in line with recent similar research indicating the barriers and enables in maintaining good health care professionals and patients relationships (McDonnell et al, 2022;Vogt et al, 2023). Some contextual and environmental issues, such as staffing pressures and ongoing workload existed to a large degree before the pandemic but deteriorated by it.…”

Impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic impact on healthcare professional delivery of opportunistic behaviour change interventions: a retrospective cohort study

“…These added pressures may have led the MECC policy to be overlooked [19]. The COVID-19 pandemic has increased health inequalities [20], and may have led to increased alcohol intake, reductions in physical activity, and lower diet quality, compared to pre-pandemic levels [21,22].…”

A call for action: Educating pharmacists and pharmacy students in behaviour change techniques

“…Keyworth and colleagues 1 identified three methods to improve health professionals' delivery of opportunistic behaviour change, with the primary method being the training of health professionals in BCTs and interventions. Many of the reported challenges of implementing opportunistic behaviour change initiatives in practice, such as health professionals not feeling as though it is their responsibility, being unsure of how to communicate the advice, or being short on time, 21 , 22 can also be targeted and reduced through the introduction of this training. Health professionals have also agreed on the importance of continued training and education of effective health care practice and roles.…”