Brief interventions do work. Research shows that a brief intervention can help people decide to change their health behaviours.
Brief interventions have been shown to be effective in reducing alcohol consumption by over 20% in people with hazardous or harmful drinking levels (Anderson 1996:16). Research has shown that just a few words from a medical practitioner can result in a 5% quit smoking rate and that a little more effort can lead to long term smoking cessation rates of over 10% (Owen 1985:177). It has also been found that the intervention is more effective with follow-up and additional interventions from other health staff (Richmond 1993:209).
More brief interventions are needed at the primary care level. Most interventions in the western health system are either very early, to prevent the beginning of a problem, or very late. There is a need for more attention on interventions which focus on people with risky behaviours which affect health, or with early signs of illness.
Brief interventions are acknowledged to be cheap, easy and effective. Brief interventions are accepted and used as an effective tool for a range of health issues. For example, interventions involving counselling and education for new mothers are part of regular infant health consultations in community health centres.
In summary, what health professionals say and do can make a difference. It can help to motivate and support people to make the decisions that are best for them.
Brief intervention is part of the health team's everyday work. Good reasons why health professionals are suitable people to do interventions:
Following interviews with over forty Aboriginal people who had given up drinking alcohol, Maggie Brady observed that "the most notable of the motivations to change was contact with health professionals. About half of those interviewed stated that they finally stopped drinking after a severe illness or trauma in combination with the advice of a doctor." (Brady 1998a:1-2)
| Health professionals are expected to give advice …it was in '88 I gave up drinking, on account of my foot. I'm diabetic and more alcohol I drank it sort of infection in my body… That's what happened to me, and then I went to the hospital and the doctor said to me "you drink?" and I said "yeah". 'But for a start' he said, "stop drinking". ok, I did, and that was when I was in hospital… It's every medical officers' job, you know, to tell you what's right and what's wrong with you, you know, especially when you're overweight and you are a diabetic, that sort of thing they come up and tell you, "you not supposed to be drinking" or, "give up smoking, it's no good for your pressure". I'm fifty-five years old now and so I give it a try so I can live bit longer. I feel a lot better you know giving up smoking and drinking yeah, it's only my eating that's the problem now! From story 3: Mr Singh's story, Belyuen, NT Brady |
| Health professionals may give a legitimate excuse to change …And I said, "no, I'm not taking that. I'm finished now. Doctor told me I only got one life, I finish, right out." And they're laughing at me you know, "you liar. C'mon, c'mon." "Yeah", they said "you used to drink before. What's wrong with you now? You changing!' "Yes, I said, "because doctor told me I only got one life, because you can't say no to doctor when he's told you, you want to believe doctor because he's a man doctor. When he tell you, he see you, everything inside your body. He tell you straight. 'Give it up, don't you go back to grog'. Alright. And they said 'ok'… People coming back with grog, and I keep saying 'no, no, no.' Two years, they stop asking me then…gave up smoke and grog as well. From story 15, Mrs D's story, Rockhole, NT Brady |
Service providers have a responsibility to raise health related behaviours with people, and to give clear, factual information. Do not assume that people already know about health risks, or that they cannot change a behaviour. People decide for themselves, but what service providers say and do can make a difference. It can help to motivate and support people to make the decisions that are best for them.