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About Key Messages
Key messages for healthy living
Not interested in changing 'risky' lifestyle
Thinking about change
Preparing to change
Making changes
Maintaining change
Relapsing
Key messages for healthy living
The following is a summary of the Key Messages for Healthy Living. A copy of the full document is available from the Health Promotion Service.
Principles for achieving change in health related behaviour
Increasing the individual's knowledge is a necessary but insufficient stimulus for change. Develop a partnership with the person, in which your skills can help, but the individual remains in control of the choices concerning his/her health.
In contemplating change, too often the emphasis is placed on the action itself. To achieve successful change, time spent on planning, preparation and attitude adjustment prior to the action are the keys to managing an alteration in lifestyle.
Find out what the person already knows and believes about the relationship between behaviour and health. It is important to recognise and address personal and social circumstances and respond supportively. Recognise when
your time or skills are insufficient for the task and refer on to appropriate, specialist help.
Recognise that not everyone is ready to change. To use your time effectively you need to make an early assessment as to the individual's readiness to change. A validated model has been developed to help you understand the change process and guide your interventions appropriately.
What happens at each stage
Not interested in changing 'risky' lifestyle
Raising the issue with certain people may be sufficient motivation to attempt change. By raising the issue sensitively at an opportune but relevant occasion you can quickly obtain a reasonably accurate idea as to whether the individual is open to further discussion, (eg does your smoking cause you any problems?). If you sense any resistance, you should refrain from any more direct attempts to push the issue as this will only entrench the person in their own attitudes. You may offer further factual information on the topic, but do not attempt any suggestions of a need to change. Leave the door open with an offer of support if and when they wish for help in the future.
Thinking about change
Once aware that there may be reasons for attempting change, people spend time in contemplation. They weigh up the costs and benefits of change and seek information to help them in the decision. This stage can last seconds, minutes or years. The role of the 'helping person' at this stage is to offer time to consider both sides of the problem; simply listening is good. You can take the opportunity to expand existing knowledge. Avoid the temptation of only giving one side of the argument as the client will provide the other side and tend only to hear themselves.
Ambivalence is a normal part of behaviour change. Time spent tackling concerns about the risks involved in change is well spent. Helping the individual focus on existing harm (blood test results or just not being able to get up stairs without being breathless etc) and testing his/her knowledge of the risks of not changing will all help towards an 'informed choice'.
Key Health Promotion Messages provides you with much information that can be used to tip the scales towards motivating change. The Health Promotion Service can supply specific topic leaflets that can give guidance through this stage.
Preparing to change
When the perceived benefits outweigh the costs, and when the person believes that change is possible and worthwhile, it will be beneficial to spend time in preparation. This would include assessing what extra knowledge, skills and support might be needed and how high risk situations, that might sabotage good intention, might be avoided. Barriers to change will also need to be addressed. Self-defeating attitudes are common. Support and encouragement are very important at this stage. This may be from family, friends or on a professional basis.
An action plan written by the client has been shown to be a useful and effective tool in achieving desired change. It would be useful for helpers to provide information on sources of support.
Making changes
The early days of change tend to require positive decisions to do things differently and some people need - temporarily, if not permanently - to change other aspects of their lifestyle in order to break away from a habit. A clear goal, realistic plan, support and rewards are features of success at this stage. A 'helping' person can be very supportive with a quick phone call to acknowledge that the change is taking place and offering recognition of the
efforts required.
Maintaining change
Once habits are broken the person has to settle into the new way of behaving. This can take time and the individual may require support.
Relapsing
This is a normal part of behaviour change and needs not be viewed as failure but as just another step on the road to eventual success. The client can be helped to learn the lessons of what they have achieved and of what went wrong so that the next time pitfalls can be avoided.
The Health Promotion Services provides courses using this 'model of change' in a variety of topic areas. The courses are usually advertised under the general heading of 'Helping People Change'.
Alcohol & Drugs
Healthy Eating
Mental Health
Physical Activity
Sexual Health
Smoking |
