Lifestyle counselling - a long-term commitment based on partnership

Lifestyle habits are important factors in the development of non-communicable diseases. Different ways of providing counselling in primary care to promote healthier lifestyle habits have been launched and evaluated in recent years. It is important to provide an insight into what makes lifestyle counselling useful for patients and healthcare providers.

The overall aim of this study was to explore patients´ and community health nurses´(CHNs) experiences of lifestyle counselling in primary care to support healthier lifestyle habits.

Patients and CHNs were interviewed, face to face. Sixteen patients (eight men, eight women, aged 51-75 years) diagnosed with hypertension or type 2 diabetes mellitus and three CHNs participated. Data material was analysed with qualitative content analysis to explore the participants experiences of lifestyle counselling.

The theme demonstrates that lifestyle counselling is a long-term commitment based on partnership between patients and CHNs. Five categories describe this partnership: respect and mutual interest, understanding of illness, measurements and goal setting, long-term support, and a structure to support counselling within the primary care unit.

The results from this study are consistent with and add to previous understanding of how lifestyle counselling can be performed successfully in the context of primary health care. The results emphasize that lifestyle counselling should encompass a partnership based on mutual respect, recognition of the patient as the expert on his/her current life situation, and the need for both parties to engage in the process of lifestyle change.

A structured lifestyle program with five counselling sessions within primary care was experienced as helpful for enhanced lifestyle habits and considered to be feasible by both patients and CHNs.