Training physicians in behavioural change counseling: A systematic review

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Medical Education
• Behavioral Medicine

Background:

• Poor health behaviors are primary drivers of non-communicable chronic diseases (NCDs).
• Physician-led interventions for behavior change show limited efficacy.
• The effectiveness and feasibility of physician training in behavior change counseling (BCC) require investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review the efficacy of BCC training programs for physicians.
• To describe the content, dose, and structure of these training programs to inform future design and dissemination.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review adhering to PRISMA guidelines.
• Database search up to January 2018, identifying 1889 unique articles.
• Inclusion of 9 studies meeting specific criteria for analysis.

Main Results:

• All studies reported significant improvements in physician BCC skills.
• Programs focused on provider-patient collaboration, patient autonomy, and eliciting 'change-talk'.
• Limitations included poor reporting, heterogeneity, small samples, lack of comparison groups (78%), and inadequate skill assessment (<30%).

Conclusions:

• BCC training programs demonstrate efficacy in improving physician skills.
• Methodological limitations hinder definitive conclusions on optimal content and delivery.
• Further rigorous research is needed to develop and test effective training programs.