Web-Based Learning for General Practitioners and Practice Nurses Regarding Behavior Change: Qualitative Descriptive...

Area of Science:

• Primary Health Care
• Health Professional Education
• Behavioral Science

Background:

• Behavior change interventions are vital in primary health care for patient well-being.
• General practitioners and practice nurses face barriers to delivering these interventions, including low self-efficacy.
• Limited opportunities exist for upskilling in behavior change via web-based learning.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore general practitioners' and practice nurses' perceptions of web-based learning.
• To identify factors influencing the adoption of web-based learning for patient behavior change support.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative, cross-sectional study utilizing web-based, semistructured interviews.
• Interviews conducted with general practitioners and practice nurses in Queensland, Australia.
• Thematic analysis of transcribed interview data using inductive coding.

Main Results:

• Eleven participants (4 general practitioners, 7 practice nurses) were included.
• Three key themes emerged: provider perception, content value, and usage barriers/facilitators.
• Provider reputation, content quality, and usability significantly influence adoption.

Conclusions:

• Provider reputation, awareness, resources, content, usability, cost, and time are critical for web-based learning adoption.
• High-quality content includes cultural tailoring, interactivity, plain language, and user-friendly design.
• Free resources with progress saving and short modules reduce barriers for healthcare professionals.