scholarly journals The impact of nature-based interventions on public health: a review using pathways, mechanisms and behaviour change techniques from environmental social science and health behaviour change

2021 ◽  
Vol 9s7 ◽  
pp. 33-61
Author(s):  
Stephanie Wilkie ◽  
Nicola Davinson
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Social Science ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Behaviour Change ◽  
Health Behaviour ◽  
Behaviour Change Techniques ◽  
Change Models ◽  
Health Behaviour Change ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Environmental Social Science

The aim of this narrative review is to explore whether nature-based interventions improved individual public health outcomes and health behaviours, using a conceptual framework that included pathways and pathway domains, mechanisms, and behaviour change techniques derived from environmental social science theory and health behaviour change models. A two-stage scoping methodology was used to identified studies published between 2000 and 2021. Peer reviewed, English-language reports of nature-based interventions with adults (N = 9) were included if the study met the definition of a health�behaviour change intervention and reported at least one measured physical/mental health outcome. Interventions focused on the restoring or building capacities pathway domains as part of the nature contact/experience pathway; varied health behaviour change mechanisms and techniques were present but environmental social-science-derived mechanisms to influence health outcomes were used less. Practical recommendations for future interventions include explicit statement of the targeted level of causation, as well as utilisation of both environmental social science and health behaviour change theories and varied public health outcomes to allow simultaneously testing of theoretical predictions.

The impact of health behaviour change intervention on indoor air pollution indicators in the rural North West Province, South Africa

2011 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 35-44 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brendon Barnes ◽  
Angela Mathee ◽  
Elizabeth Thomas
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Behaviour Change ◽  
Health Behaviour ◽  
Indoor Air ◽  
Indoor Air Pollution ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Pollution Indicators ◽  
Health Behaviour Change ◽  
The Impact

Indoor air pollution has been associated with a number of health outcomes including child lower respiratory infections such as pneumonia. Behavi-oural change has been promoted as a potential intervention strategy but very little evidence exists of the impact of such strategies on actual indoor air pollution indicators particularly in poor rural contexts. The aim of this study was to evaluate a community counselling intervention on stationary levels of PM10 and carbon monoxide (CO) as well as CO measured on children younger than five. Using a quasi-experimental design, baseline data was collected in an intervention (n=36) and a control (n=38) community; the intervention was implemented in the intervention community only; and follow-up data was collected one year later amongst the same households. Despite the fact that indoor air pollution was reduced in both communities, the intervention group performed significantly better than the control group when stratified by burning location. The net median reductions associated with the intervention were: PM10=57%, CO=31% and CO (child)=33% amongst households that burned indoor fires. The study provides tentative evidence that a health behaviour change is associated with reductions in child indoor air pollution exposure. The intervention is relatively inexpensive and easy to replicate. However, more powerful epidemiological studies are needed to determine the impact on health outcomes.

scholarly journals Critical health response in the time of COVID-19: lessons from the past

2021 ◽  
Vol 51 (2) ◽  
pp. 336-345
Author(s):  
Rabia Ruby Patel ◽  
Tanya Monique Graham
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Behaviour Change ◽  
Health Behaviour ◽  
Subjective Experience ◽  
Personal Responsibility ◽  
Good Health ◽  
Community Empowerment ◽  
The South ◽  
Change Models ◽  
Health Behaviour Change

This article examines the South African government’s response to COVID-19 by exploring the strong emphasis that has been placed on South Africans taking personal responsibility for good health outcomes. This emphasis is based on the principles of the traditional Health Belief Model which is a commonly used model in global health systems. More recently, there has been a drive towards other health behaviour change models, like the COM-B model and Behaviour Change Wheel (BCW); nonetheless, these remain entrenched within the principles of individual health responsibility. However, the South African experience with the HIV epidemic serves as a backdrop to demonstrate that holding people personally accountable for health behaviour changes has major pitfalls; health risk is never objective and does not take place outside of subjective experience. This article makes the argument that risk-taking health behaviour change in the South African context has to consider community empowerment and capacity building.

scholarly journals The impact of Healthy Conversation Skills training on health professionals’ barriers to having behaviour change conversations: a pre-post survey using the Theoretical Domains Framework

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jenna L. Hollis ◽  
Lucy Kocanda ◽  
Kirsty Seward ◽  
Clare Collins ◽  
Belinda Tully ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Behaviour Change ◽  
Health Behaviour ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Theoretical Domains Framework ◽  
Clinical Settings ◽  
Conversation Skills ◽  
Health Behaviour Change ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background Changing people’s behaviour by giving advice and instruction, as traditionally provided in healthcare consultations, is usually ineffective. Healthy Conversation Skills (HCS) training enhances health professionals’ communication skills and ability to empower and motivate people in health behaviour change. Guided by the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF), this study examined the impact of HCS training on health professional barriers to conducting behaviour change conversations in both clinical and non-clinical settings. Secondary aims were to i) identify health professionals’ barriers to having behaviour change conversations, and explore the ii) effect of HCS training on health professionals’ competence and attitudes to adopting HCS, iii) feasibility, acceptability and appropriateness of using HCS in their clinical and non-clinical roles, and iv) acceptability and quality of HCS training. Methods HCS training was conducted in October-November 2019 and February 2020. Pre-training (T1), post-training (T2) and follow-up (T3; 6-10 weeks post-training) surveys collected data on demographics and changes in competence, confidence, importance and usefulness (10-point Likert scale, where 10 = highest score) of conducting behaviour change conversations. Validated items assessing barriers to having these conversations were based on eight TDF domains. Post-training acceptability and quality of training was assessed. Data were summarised using descriptive statistics, and differences between TDF domain scores at the specific time points were analysed using Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed-rank tests. Results Sixty-four participants consented to complete surveys (97% women; 16% identified as Aboriginal), with 37 employed in clinical settings and 27 in non-clinical settings. The training improved scores for the TDF domains of skills (T1: median (interquartile range) = 4.7(3.3-5.3); T3 = 5.7(5.3-6.0), p < 0.01), belief about capabilities (T1 = 4.7(3.3-6.0); T3 = 5.7(5.0-6.0), p < 0.01), and goals (T1 = 4.3(3.7-5.0); T3 = 4.7(4.3-5.3), p < 0.01) at follow-up. Competence in using ‘open discovery questions’ increased post-training (T1 = 25% of responses; T2 = 96% of responses; T3 = 87% of responses, p < 0.001), as did participants’ confidence for having behaviour change conversations (T1 = 6.0(4.7-7.6); T2 = 8.1(7.1-8.8), p < 0.001), including an increased confidence in having behaviour change conversations with Aboriginal clients (T1 = 5.0(2.7-6.3); T2 = 7.6(6.4-8.3), p < 0.001). Conclusions Provision of additional support strategies to address intentions; memory, attention and decision processes; and behavioural regulation may enhance adoption and maintenance of HCS in routine practice. Wider implementation of HCS training could be an effective strategy to building capacity and support health professionals to use a person-centred, opportunistic approach to health behaviour change.

Family medicine physicians’ confidence and perceived effectiveness in delivering health behaviour change interventions

2020 ◽  
Vol 37 (4) ◽  
pp. 493-498
Author(s):  
Michelle D Sherman ◽  
Stephanie A Hooker
Keyword(s):  
Family Medicine ◽  
Behaviour Change ◽  
Health Behaviour ◽  
Health Behaviours ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Behaviour Change Techniques ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Perceived Effectiveness ◽  
Behaviour Change Interventions ◽  
Health Behaviour Change

Abstract Background Approximately 40% of deaths in the USA are attributable to modifiable health behaviours. Despite clear recommendations and practice guidelines, primary care physicians (PCPs) generally do not dedicate much time to addressing health behaviours, thereby missing opportunities to improve patient well-being. Objective(s) To examine what health behaviour change techniques PCPs use with their patients, including frequency of use, confidence in and perceived effectiveness of those interventions. Methods Using a cross-sectional study design, family medicine resident and faculty physicians (n = 68) from three residency training programs completed an anonymous online survey. Questions explored their use of, confidence in and perceived effectiveness of health behaviour change interventions for six domains: physical activity, healthy eating, medication adherence, smoking cessation, sleep and alcohol reduction. Qualitative responses to open-ended questions were double coded by two independent raters. PCPs’ open-ended responses to questions regarding specific intervention techniques were coded using an evidence-based behaviour change taxonomy. Results Although PCPs indicated that they address health behaviour topics quite frequently with their patients, they reported only moderate confidence and low-to-moderate perceived effectiveness with their interventions. The most frequently cited technique was providing instruction (telling patients what to do). PCPs reported lowest frequency of addressing, lowest confidence and lowest effectiveness regarding helping patients decrease their use of alcohol. Insufficient time and perceived low patient motivation were commonly cited barriers. Conclusion These findings highlight the need for the development and evaluation of educational curricula to teach physicians brief, evidence-based approaches to helping patients make these changes in their health-related behaviours.

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