Photo Credit: Drazen Zigic
The following is a summary of “Investigating assumptions in motivational interviewing among general practitioners: a qualitative study,” published in the January 2025 issue of Primary Care by Aujoulat et al.
Unhealthy behaviors lead to major health risks. General practitioners (GPs) are key in behavior change, with motivational interviewing (MI) showing promise.
Researchers conducted a retrospective study on MI to promote behavior change. Its adoption by French GPs remains uncertain.
They conducted semi-structured interviews with GPs in western Brittany (Finistère) to explore their understanding of MI, its benefits, and barriers. About 2 female trainees led the interviews, and a thematic analysis was used to analyze the data.
The results showed that 11 semi-structured interviews conducted between November 2020 and May 2021 revealed limited MI understanding, with participants seeing it as a patient-centered tool beneficial for cancer screening, chronic disease management, and vaccination. Barriers like time constraints, limited training, and systemic issues hindered adoption, though MI was viewed as useful for challenging cases and could improve doctor-patient relationships and physician satisfaction.
Investigators noted GPs’ limited MI knowledge but recognized its potential for patient-centered care. Overcoming barriers through better training could improve outcomes and satisfaction.
Source: bmcprimcare.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12875-025-02706-3
