Good oral health can be achieved and maintained by compliance with preventive and curative measures and effective self-care. However, adherence to positive behaviours such as toothbrushing, interdental cleaning, smoking cessation and good dietary habits can be variable. Traditional approaches of patient education revolve around disseminating information and normative advice. Increasingly the use of motivational interviewing [read the full story…]
NICE publish new evidence summary on psychosis with coexisting substance misuse
The NICE guideline on psychosis with coexisting substance misuse was published in 2011, which means it’s now nearly 3 years out of date. This is because guidelines take many months to produce, so by the time they are published the evidence in them is 1 year old at best. Some NICE guidelines are supplemented by [read the full story…]
Growing evidence for talking treatments to help pathological gamblers
Pathological gambling is defined by DSM-IV as a disorder of impulse control which includes a preoccupation with gambling, failed attempts to reduce gambling, and restlessness or irritability when prevented from gambling. It is likely to be reclassified as an addictive disorder in DSM-V. Gambling is something that most adults dabble in from time to time. [read the full story…]
A systematic review of motivational interviewing within musculoskeletal health
As you’ve probably gathered by now, we Musculoskeletal Elves are pretty keen to promote psychosocial interventions in the management of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). In a previous post I looked at behavioural change interventions, such as, motivational interviewing (MI) with individuals with rheumatoid and osteoarthritis. But how effective is MI, as ‘‘a directive, client-centred counselling style for eliciting behaviour change by [read the full story…]
Telephone coaching can increase activity levels for people with non-chronic low back pain: a randomised controlled trial
In my last blog I emphasised the importance of addressing recovery expectations during treatment sessions with individuals with low back pain (LBP) and highlighted a simple screening instrument. However, the question remains, if a person has ‘low scoring’ recovery expectations how can we go about helping them? With that question in mind, I was delighted [read the full story…]
Motivational interview as a prelude to periodontal treatment had limited impact on oral health
There is much interest in the use of the motivational interview, a directive patient centered style of counselling in dentistry to promote behaviour change. This trial looked at a single session of motivational interviewing (MI) on self-performed periodontal infection control. Patients with chronic periodontitis referred to a specialist clinic in Gothenburg, Sweden. Patients randomised to [read the full story…]
Lifestyle and behaviour change interventions in osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis
Have you ever tried to make and sustain a lifestyle or behaviour change? How easy was it? Someone once explained to me that some things in life are simple, but that doesn’t equate to them being easy. For example, if you want to lose weight, it’s simple – exercise more and eat less, but if [read the full story…]
Maternal counselling using a motivational-interviewing approach reduced caries in indigenous children
The aim of this trial was to test the use of motivational interviewing (MI) as an approach to control caries in indigenous children. This cluster-randomised trial was conducted in Cree communities in Quebec. Cree women who recently had given birth or were between the 12th and 34th weeks of pregnancy were recruited. Mothers allocated to [read the full story…]
Motivational interviewing is better than doing nothing for people with drug and alcohol problems
More than 76 million people worldwide have alcohol problems, and another 15 million have drug problems. Motivational interviewing (MI) is a psychological treatment that aims to help people cut down or stop using drugs and alcohol. The drug abuser and counsellor typically meet between one and four times for about one hour each time. The [read the full story…]