Clinician experiences of healthy lifestyle promotion and perceptions of digital interventions as complementary tools for lifestyle behavior change in primary care
Abstract Background Evidence-based practice for healthy lifestyle promotion in primary health care is supported internationally by national policies and guidelines but implementation in routine primary health care has been slow. Referral to digital interventions could lead to a larger proportion of...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2018-08-01
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| Series: | BMC Family Practice |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12875-018-0829-z |
| _version_ | 1811228143666593792 |
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| author | Anne H. Berman Karoline Kolaas Elisabeth Petersén Preben Bendtsen Erik Hedman Catharina Linderoth Ulrika Müssener Kristina Sinadinovic Fredrik Spak Ida Gremyr Anna Thurang |
| author_facet | Anne H. Berman Karoline Kolaas Elisabeth Petersén Preben Bendtsen Erik Hedman Catharina Linderoth Ulrika Müssener Kristina Sinadinovic Fredrik Spak Ida Gremyr Anna Thurang |
| author_sort | Anne H. Berman |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Evidence-based practice for healthy lifestyle promotion in primary health care is supported internationally by national policies and guidelines but implementation in routine primary health care has been slow. Referral to digital interventions could lead to a larger proportion of patients accessing structured interventions for healthy lifestyle promotion, but such referral might have unknown implications for clinicians with patients accessing such interventions. This qualitative study aimed to explore the perceptions of clinicians in primary care on healthy lifestyle promotion with or without digital screening and intervention. Methods Focus group interviews were conducted at 10 primary care clinics in Sweden with clinicians from different health professions. Transcribed interviews were analyzed using content analysis, with inspiration from a phenomenological-hermeneutic method involving naïve understanding, structural analysis and comprehensive understanding. Results Two major themes captured clinicians’ perceptions on healthy lifestyle promotion: 1) the need for structured professional practice and 2) deficient professional practice as a hinder for implementation. Sub-themes in theme 1 were striving towards professionalism, which for participants meant working in a standardized fashion, with replicable routines regardless of clinic, as well as being able to monitor statistics on individual patient and group levels; and embracing the future with critical optimism, meaning expecting to develop professionally but also being concerned about the consequences of integrating digital tools into primary care, particularly regarding the importance of personal interaction between patient and provider. For theme 2, sub-themes were being in an unmanageable situation, meaning not being able to do what is perceived as best for the patient due to lack of time and resources; and following one’s perception, meaning working from a gut feeling, which for our participants also meant deviating from clinical routines. Conclusions In efforts to increase evidence-based practice and lighten the burden of clinicians in primary care, decision- and policy-makers planning the introduction of digital tools for healthy lifestyle promotion will need to explicitly define their role as complements to face-to-face encounters. Our overriding hope is that this study will contribute to maintaining meaningfulness in the patient-clinician encounter, when digital tools are added to facilitate patient behavior change of unhealthy lifestyle behaviors. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T09:53:31Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a38ebb341b524e279b7121fa5b38584a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-2296 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T09:53:31Z |
| publishDate | 2018-08-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Family Practice |
| spelling | doaj.art-a38ebb341b524e279b7121fa5b38584a2022-12-22T03:37:47ZengBMCBMC Family Practice1471-22962018-08-0119111110.1186/s12875-018-0829-zClinician experiences of healthy lifestyle promotion and perceptions of digital interventions as complementary tools for lifestyle behavior change in primary careAnne H. Berman0Karoline Kolaas1Elisabeth Petersén2Preben Bendtsen3Erik Hedman4Catharina Linderoth5Ulrika Müssener6Kristina Sinadinovic7Fredrik Spak8Ida Gremyr9Anna Thurang10Center for Psychiatry Research, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet & Stockholm Healthcare Services, Stockholm County CouncilCenter for Psychiatry Research, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet & Stockholm Healthcare Services, Stockholm County CouncilCenter for Psychiatry Research, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet & Stockholm Healthcare Services, Stockholm County CouncilDepartment of Medicine and Health Sciences, Linköping UniversityCenter for Psychiatry Research, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet & Stockholm Healthcare Services, Stockholm County CouncilDepartment of Medicine and Health Sciences, Linköping UniversityDepartment of Medicine and Health Sciences, Linköping UniversityCenter for Psychiatry Research, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet & Stockholm Healthcare Services, Stockholm County CouncilChalmers Technological UniversityDepartment of Public Health and Community Medicine, Section for Epidemiology and Social Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of GothenburgCenter for Psychiatry Research, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet & Stockholm Healthcare Services, Stockholm County CouncilAbstract Background Evidence-based practice for healthy lifestyle promotion in primary health care is supported internationally by national policies and guidelines but implementation in routine primary health care has been slow. Referral to digital interventions could lead to a larger proportion of patients accessing structured interventions for healthy lifestyle promotion, but such referral might have unknown implications for clinicians with patients accessing such interventions. This qualitative study aimed to explore the perceptions of clinicians in primary care on healthy lifestyle promotion with or without digital screening and intervention. Methods Focus group interviews were conducted at 10 primary care clinics in Sweden with clinicians from different health professions. Transcribed interviews were analyzed using content analysis, with inspiration from a phenomenological-hermeneutic method involving naïve understanding, structural analysis and comprehensive understanding. Results Two major themes captured clinicians’ perceptions on healthy lifestyle promotion: 1) the need for structured professional practice and 2) deficient professional practice as a hinder for implementation. Sub-themes in theme 1 were striving towards professionalism, which for participants meant working in a standardized fashion, with replicable routines regardless of clinic, as well as being able to monitor statistics on individual patient and group levels; and embracing the future with critical optimism, meaning expecting to develop professionally but also being concerned about the consequences of integrating digital tools into primary care, particularly regarding the importance of personal interaction between patient and provider. For theme 2, sub-themes were being in an unmanageable situation, meaning not being able to do what is perceived as best for the patient due to lack of time and resources; and following one’s perception, meaning working from a gut feeling, which for our participants also meant deviating from clinical routines. Conclusions In efforts to increase evidence-based practice and lighten the burden of clinicians in primary care, decision- and policy-makers planning the introduction of digital tools for healthy lifestyle promotion will need to explicitly define their role as complements to face-to-face encounters. Our overriding hope is that this study will contribute to maintaining meaningfulness in the patient-clinician encounter, when digital tools are added to facilitate patient behavior change of unhealthy lifestyle behaviors.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12875-018-0829-zClinician experiencesDigital interventionsE-healthHealthy lifestyle promotionPrimary carePhenomenological hermeneutics |
| spellingShingle | Anne H. Berman Karoline Kolaas Elisabeth Petersén Preben Bendtsen Erik Hedman Catharina Linderoth Ulrika Müssener Kristina Sinadinovic Fredrik Spak Ida Gremyr Anna Thurang Clinician experiences of healthy lifestyle promotion and perceptions of digital interventions as complementary tools for lifestyle behavior change in primary care BMC Family Practice Clinician experiences Digital interventions E-health Healthy lifestyle promotion Primary care Phenomenological hermeneutics |
| title | Clinician experiences of healthy lifestyle promotion and perceptions of digital interventions as complementary tools for lifestyle behavior change in primary care |
| title_full | Clinician experiences of healthy lifestyle promotion and perceptions of digital interventions as complementary tools for lifestyle behavior change in primary care |
| title_fullStr | Clinician experiences of healthy lifestyle promotion and perceptions of digital interventions as complementary tools for lifestyle behavior change in primary care |
| title_full_unstemmed | Clinician experiences of healthy lifestyle promotion and perceptions of digital interventions as complementary tools for lifestyle behavior change in primary care |
| title_short | Clinician experiences of healthy lifestyle promotion and perceptions of digital interventions as complementary tools for lifestyle behavior change in primary care |
| title_sort | clinician experiences of healthy lifestyle promotion and perceptions of digital interventions as complementary tools for lifestyle behavior change in primary care |
| topic | Clinician experiences Digital interventions E-health Healthy lifestyle promotion Primary care Phenomenological hermeneutics |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12875-018-0829-z |
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