BRIEF Project

Published on 7 January 2023.

Brief interventions can reduce the #NCD burden. But health care professionals need a system that makes it easy and natural for them to discuss #NCD risks with their patients.

https://www.who.int/europe/news/item/13-12-2022-new-who-manual--a-few-simple-questions-can-save-millions-of-lives 

Primary-care providers are in an ideal position to help patients 

  • quit tobacco
  • reduce or stop alcohol use
  • manage their weight
  • eat more healthily
  • be more physically active 

Major challenges for health care workers:

  • Workload
  • Lack of time during consultations
  • Lack of supportive environments to start conversations on #NCD risks

Brief interventions can help create a new system to #beatNCDs.

Even during a short consultation, health care provides can

? ask patients about exposure to #NCD risk factors 

! advised on how to reduce risk

By measuring all patients’ exposure to risk factors and supporting behaviour change, primary-care providers can make a huge difference.

Nutritional care is essential to tackle noncommunicable diseases. Dietitians in #PrimaryCare can model this care to teams and deliver it in a safe, appropriate and cost-effective way using brief interventions.

Chronic conditions need holistic, patient-centered care. Patient organizations can train health care professionals in understanding patient needs and communicating sensitively, when delivering brief interventions.

WHO/Europe’s #NCD Office new manual for #PrimaryCare demonstrates how to use brief interventions to #beatNCDs. Read it here: https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/364437