Breaking the cycle of reoccurring low back pain with integrated motivational interviewing and cognitive behavioural therapy to facilitate education and exercise advice: a superiority randomised controlled trial study protocol.

BACKGROUND: Non-specific low back pain is a common and costly global issue. Many people with low back pain live for years with ongoing symptom recurrence and disability, making it crucial to find effective prevention strategies. Motivational interviewing (MI) is an evidence-based patient-centred counselling style that helps motivate individuals to change their behaviours. In combination, MI and cognitive-behavioural therapy (MI-CBT) has the potential to yield long term improvements in pain and disability and reduce incidence of recurrence. METHOD: This is a two-arm superiority randomised controlled trial comparing MI-CBT and Education (n = 83) with Education only (n = 83). Participants that have recovered from a recent episode of non-specific low back pain (7th consecutive day with pain ≤ 2 on a 0-10 numeric pain rating scale) will be eligible for inclusion into the study. Both groups will receive five 30-min sessions over a 10-week period as well as the Navigating Pain booklet, homework book and a standardised exercise programme. In the intervention group, MI-CBT techniques will be used to provide individualised support, identify beliefs, and increase engagement with the resources provided. Outcomes measures include pain (current and in the last 7 days) as rated on the numeric pain rating scale. This will be used to determine recurrence (number of participants who report back pain ≥ 3 out of 10 on the numeric pain rating scale). Furthermore, self-reported (1) pain intensity; (2) pain catastrophizing; (3) fear-avoidance beliefs; (4) pain self-efficacy; (5) depression and anxiety; (6) disability will be measured. All outcomes will be measured at baseline, and again at 3-, 6-, and 12-months post allocation. DISCUSSION: The effective delivery of self-management strategies to prevent recurrence of low back pain is an important aspect that requires urgent attention. This study will provide new information on the effectiveness of using an MI-CBT approach to facilitate self-management through education and exercise to improve low back pain outcomes. Evidence emerging from this trial has the potential to inform clinical practice and healthcare management of non-specific low back pain. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Prospectively registered with Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry: ACTRN12623000746639 (10/07/2023).

Identifying motivational interviewing techniques in Quitline smoking cessation counselling sessions from Queensland, Australia.

Motivational interviewing (MI) is a common approach for smoking cessation counselling, yet little is known about the use of MI techniques in practice. This qualitative content analysis applied a published classification of content and relational MI techniques to a sample of 30 Quitline transcripts (January-March 2019) from Queensland, Australia. Overall, 36 MI techniques (94.7%) were identified at least once within the total sample. On average, 20 techniques (52.6%) were used in an individual conversation with a small difference observed between initial and follow-up calls. Techniques most frequently applied across conversations were largely relational, while techniques addressing client ambivalence/resistance were less frequently/never applied. Variability in techniques between individual initial and follow-up calls highlights the high degree of personalisation when applying MI to smoking cessation. Further investigations exploring associations of individual techniques and cessation outcomes are warranted. The classification may prove useful for assessments of fidelity for training and monitoring activities.

Home-based motivational interviewing for late-life rural hoarding disorder: a pilot study.

OBJECTIVES: The primary purpose of this pilot study was to determine the feasibility and acceptability of a novel brief (six-session) motivational interviewing home-based intervention for hoarding disorder designed for rural older adults. The secondary aims were to examine the engagement of proposed mechanisms of change and the preliminary efficacy of symptom reduction. METHOD: Fifteen rural-dwelling older adults were enrolled in the pilot trial for Project RECLAIM (Reduce Clutter and Increase Meaning). Engagement of proposed mechanisms of change was assessed weekly for reported engagement in sorting/discarding behaviors and from baseline to post-treatment on readiness for change and motivation. Symptom reduction was assessed from baseline to post-treatment on hoarding symptoms and general psychological functioning. RESULTS: Sixty percent of participants completed all six sessions of RECLAIM. Over the course of treatment, participants reported significant decreases in household clutter (d = -0.85) and object attachment (d = -1.01) and increases in positive affect (d = 0.71), readiness for change (d = 0.40) and motivation (d = 0.52), and sorting between sessions (ß = 3.82). CONCLUSION: The significant reductions in hoarding symptoms after only six sessions of treatment suggest that a brief, in-home, intervention may be a viable option for symptom reduction, particularly for rural-dwelling older adults.

Effectiveness and User Experience of a Smoking Cessation Chatbot: Mixed Methods Study Comparing Motivational Interviewing and Confrontational Counseling.

BACKGROUND: Cigarette smoking poses a major public health risk. Chatbots may serve as an accessible and useful tool to promote cessation due to their high accessibility and potential in facilitating long-term personalized interactions. To increase effectiveness and acceptability, there remains a need to identify and evaluate counseling strategies for these chatbots, an aspect that has not been comprehensively addressed in previous research. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to identify effective counseling strategies for such chatbots to support smoking cessation. In addition, we sought to gain insights into smokers' expectations of and experiences with the chatbot. METHODS: This mixed methods study incorporated a web-based experiment and semistructured interviews. Smokers (N=229) interacted with either a motivational interviewing (MI)-style (n=112, 48.9%) or a confrontational counseling-style (n=117, 51.1%) chatbot. Both cessation-related (ie, intention to quit and self-efficacy) and user experience-related outcomes (ie, engagement, therapeutic alliance, perceived empathy, and interaction satisfaction) were assessed. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 16 participants, 8 (50%) from each condition, and data were analyzed using thematic analysis. RESULTS: Results from a multivariate ANOVA showed that participants had a significantly higher overall rating for the MI (vs confrontational counseling) chatbot. Follow-up discriminant analysis revealed that the better perception of the MI chatbot was mostly explained by the user experience-related outcomes, with cessation-related outcomes playing a lesser role. Exploratory analyses indicated that smokers in both conditions reported increased intention to quit and self-efficacy after the chatbot interaction. Interview findings illustrated several constructs (eg, affective attitude and engagement) explaining people's previous expectations and timely and retrospective experience with the chatbot. CONCLUSIONS: The results confirmed that chatbots are a promising tool in motivating smoking cessation and the use of MI can improve user experience. We did not find extra support for MI to motivate cessation and have discussed possible reasons. Smokers expressed both relational and instrumental needs in the quitting process. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.

Automated Behavioral Coding to Enhance the Effectiveness of Motivational Interviewing in a Chat-Based Suicide Prevention Helpline: Secondary Analysis of a Clinical Trial.

BACKGROUND: With the rise of computer science and artificial intelligence, analyzing large data sets promises enormous potential in gaining insights for developing and improving evidence-based health interventions. One such intervention is the counseling strategy motivational interviewing (MI), which has been found effective in improving a wide range of health-related behaviors. Despite the simplicity of its principles, MI can be a challenging skill to learn and requires expertise to apply effectively. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to investigate the performance of artificial intelligence models in classifying MI behavior and explore the feasibility of using these models in online helplines for mental health as an automated support tool for counselors in clinical practice. METHODS: We used a coded data set of 253 MI counseling chat sessions from the 113 Suicide Prevention helpline. With 23,982 messages coded with the MI Sequential Code for Observing Process Exchanges codebook, we trained and evaluated 4 machine learning models and 1 deep learning model to classify client- and counselor MI behavior based on language use. RESULTS: The deep learning model BERTje outperformed all machine learning models, accurately predicting counselor behavior (accuracy=0.72, area under the curve [AUC]=0.95, Cohen κ=0.69). It differentiated MI congruent and incongruent counselor behavior (AUC=0.92, κ=0.65) and evocative and nonevocative language (AUC=0.92, κ=0.66). For client behavior, the model achieved an accuracy of 0.70 (AUC=0.89, κ=0.55). The model's interpretable predictions discerned client change talk and sustain talk, counselor affirmations, and reflection types, facilitating valuable counselor feedback. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study demonstrate that artificial intelligence techniques can accurately classify MI behavior, indicating their potential as a valuable tool for enhancing MI proficiency in online helplines for mental health. Provided that the data set size is sufficiently large with enough training samples for each behavioral code, these methods can be trained and applied to other domains and languages, offering a scalable and cost-effective way to evaluate MI adherence, accelerate behavioral coding, and provide therapists with personalized, quick, and objective feedback.

Evidence for motivational interviewing in educational settings among medical schools: a scoping review.

BACKGROUND: Motivational interviewing (MI) is a person-centred approach focused on empowering and motivating individuals for behavioural change. Medical students can utilize MI in patient education to engage with patients' chronic health ailments and maladaptive behaviours. A current scoping review was conducted to 1) determine the types of MI (conventional, adapted, brief and group MI) education programs in medical schools, delivery modalities and teaching methods used; 2) classify educational outcomes on the basis of Kirkpatrick's hierarchy; and 3) determine the key elements of MI education via the FRAMES (feedback, responsibility, advice, menu of options, empathy, self-efficacy) model. METHODS: This scoping review was conducted via the framework outlined by Arksey and O'Malley. Two online databases, CINAHL and MEDLINE Complete, were searched to identify MI interventions in medical education. Further articles were selected from bibliography lists and the Google Scholar search engine. RESULTS: From an initial yield of 2019 articles, 19 articles were included. First, there appears to be a bimodal distribution of most articles published between the two time periods of 2004--2008 and 2019--2023. Second, all the studies included in this review did not use conventional MI but instead utilized a variety of MI adaptation techniques. Third, most studies used face-to-face training in MI, whereas only one study used online delivery. Fourth, most studies have used a variety of interactive experiences to teach MI. Next, all studies reported outcomes at Kirkpatrick's Level 2, but only 4 studies reported outcomes at Kirkpatrick's Level 3. According to the FRAMES model, all studies (n=19; 100%) reported the elements of responsibility and advice. The element that was reported the least was self-efficacy (n = 12; 63.1%). CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that motivational interviewing can be taught effectively in medical schools via adaptations to MI and a variety of teaching approaches. However, there is a need for further research investigating standardized MI training across medical schools, the adequate dose for training in MI and the implementation of reflective practices. Future studies may benefit from exploring and better understanding the relationship between MI and self-efficacy in their MI interventions.

The Co-Production, Pilot and Qualitative Evaluation of a Cancer Prevention Programme With High-Risk Women Delivered on Group Walks by Cancer Champions: Shoulder to Shoulder, Walk and Talk.

OBJECTIVES: Women in the criminal justice system and women who have been subject to domestic abuse are at high risk of cancer but underrepresented in health promotion research. We aimed to co-produce, pilot and evaluate a health promoting programme delivered on group walks. DESIGN: A programme co-produced by women, based on motivational interviewing, created the opportunity for supportive conversations about cancer prevention. METHODS: Programme development in two workshops with women with lived experience using authentic vignettes to prompt help-seeking conversations. A small pilot and a qualitative evaluation was done using framework analysis. RESULTS: The programme appeared acceptable to women and the walk leaders. Women felt included and found it a safe space for sensitive conversations. They appeared empowered and more confident to seek help. Walk leaders expressed confidence in delivering this informal programme, which used prompts rather than delivering didactic training. CONCLUSION: Cancer prevention for high-risk groups can be delivered in a personalised and novel way by creating informal opportunities for supportive conversations about cancer prevention. Careful co-production of the programme of walks with women, using scenarios and quotes that were authentic vignettes, ensured that these came directly from the women's lived experience and enabled women to talk about change. Our findings indicate that this approach was practical, relevant and acceptable to them with some evidence of women feeling empowered to make informed decisions about their health. We recommend that future cancer prevention programmes for underrepresented groups take an asset-based approach by utilising pre-existing community organisations to increase reach and sustainability. PATIENT AND PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT: Women with lived experience co-designed and tested the programme. Provisional findings were fed back to the women and the women's organisation that partnered with this research.

Testing the incremental effectiveness of pay-for-performance to improve implementation of a motivational interviewing brief intervention for substance use disorders in HIV settings: Results of a parallel cluster-randomized type 3 hybrid trial.

Background: Substance use disorders (SUDs) have a serious adverse impact on the physical and mental well-being of people with HIV. Previously, using a 39-site dual-randomized type 2 hybrid trial design, findings from the Substance Abuse Treatment to HIV Care Project supported the Implementation and Sustainment Facilitation (ISF) strategy to improve implementation and effectiveness of a motivational interviewing brief intervention (MIBI) for SUD within HIV service settings across the United States (US). Building on this trial, this parallel cluster-randomized type 3 hybrid trial aimed to test the incremental effectiveness of a pay-for-performance (P4P), a form of the "alter incentive/allowance structures" strategy. Methods: Twenty-six HIV service organizations, their staff participants (N=87), and their client participants (N=341) were cluster-randomized to one of two implementation conditions. The control condition included staff-focused training, feedback, and consultation (TFC) and team-focused implementation and sustainment (ISF). The experimental condition included TFC+ISF as well as P4P (TFC+ISF+P4P). P4P used financial incentives to reward MIBI implementation (US$10 per MIBI delivered) and MIBI implementation at or above a pre-defined level of quality (US$10 per demonstration). In addition to these outcomes, past 4-week changes/reductions in client participant's days of primary substance use and anxiety symptoms were examined. Results: The addition of P4P had a large and significant effect on the number of MIBIs implemented (d=1.30, p<.05) and reduction in anxiety (d=-1.54), but there was no impact on days of substance use. P4P had large effects on MIBI quality (d=1.24) and MIBI implementation effectiveness (d=1.28), but these were not significant (p<.10). Conclusions: P4P is a form of the "alter incentive/allowance structures" strategy. Its function is to reward the implementation of a clinical innovation. Rewarding implementation is consistent with the theory of implementation effectiveness, which suggests implementation climate (i.e., the extent to which implementation is expected, supported, and rewarded) is a key antecedent of implementation effectiveness (i.e., the consistency and quality of implementation). We found that P4P had a significant, positive impact on MIBI implementation in HIV service settings, but client-level outcomes were mixed. Future research should examine the effectiveness of the P4P strategy to improve implementation and sustainment of other evidence-based innovations. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT04687917. Registered 12/18/2020.

Feasibility and Acceptability of a Motivational Interviewing-Based Telehealth Intervention for Bacterial Sexually Transmitted Infection Screening: Protocol for a Sequential Explanatory Mixed Methods Study.

BACKGROUND: Gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men living with HIV (GBMSM-LWH) in the United States bear a heavy burden of bacterial sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Timely diagnosis and treatment are key to prevention. Only a few studies have combined home specimen self-collection for bacterial STI screening with live audio and video (AV) conferencing. None have focused on GBMSM-LWH or incorporated motivational interviewing (MI), a client-centered, strengths-based counseling approach that seeks to support individuals to create positive behavioral change. OBJECTIVE: Our study seeks to investigate the feasibility and acceptability of an MI-based telehealth intervention that integrates home specimen self-collection from different anatomical sites of possible exposure and MI delivered via live AV conferencing to engage sexually active GBMSM-LWH in bacterial STI screening. METHODS: Participants are being recruited from across the United States via advertising on mobile dating apps and social networking sites and via peer referral. Phase 1 involves piloting the delivery of an innovative telehealth intervention for bacterial STI screening to 75 GBMSM-LWH. Our intervention includes three components: (1) a pretest live AV conferencing session involving an MI-guided discussion to elicit awareness of bacterial STIs; fill any knowledge gaps; bolster the perceived importance of regularly testing for gonorrhea, chlamydia, and syphilis; and build self-efficacy for specimen self-collection; (2) home self-collection and return via mail of a urine sample (for gonorrhea and chlamydia testing), a throat swab (for gonorrhea and chlamydia testing), a rectal swab (for gonorrhea and chlamydia testing), and a finger-stick blood sample (for syphilis testing); and (3) a posttest live AV conferencing session involving an MI-guided discussion to prepare participants for receiving test results and formulate personalized action plans for seeking treatment (if warranted) and repeat testing. Descriptive statistics and progression ratios will be calculated, and potential variations in our intervention's feasibility and acceptability will be numerically summarized and graphically visualized. Phase 2 involves elucidating attitudes, facilitators, and barriers related to engaging in each intervention component via semistructured in-depth interviews with a purposive subsample of 20 participants who complete progressively smaller subsets of the pretest session, specimen return for bacterial STI testing, and the posttest session. Thematic analysis will be used to identify, analyze, and report patterns in the data. Quantitative and qualitative data will be integrated at the design, methods, interpretation, and reporting levels. RESULTS: Study procedures were approved by the Institutional Review Board at the University of Michigan in September 2023. Participant recruitment began in April 2024. CONCLUSIONS: Our study will advance multiple goals of the STI National Strategic Plan for the United States for 2021 to 2025, specifically those pertaining to preventing new STIs; accelerating progress in STI research, technology, and innovation; and reducing STI-related health disparities. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT06100250; https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06100250. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/64433.

From vaccine hesitancy to vaccine motivation: A motivational interviewing based approach to vaccine counselling.

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted Vaccine Hesitancy (VH) as an accelerating global phenomenon that must be addressed. According to the WHO, thirty to fifty percent of the world's population are VH. Motivational Interviewing (MI) is an evidence-based communication style demonstrated to significantly reduce VH. MI guides people toward change through the expression of empathy and by respecting an individual's autonomy. Healthcare providers (HCPs) are the primary implementors of vaccine policies and the most trusted advisors and influencers of vaccination intention at the individual patient level. Training HCPs in MI is one of the most effective strategies to overcome VH. Many countries are currently implementing HCP training programs and population-based MI interventions to improve vaccine uptake. MI conversations are 'the heart' of vaccine decision-making processes. Understanding individual patient-level drivers of hesitancy allows clinicians to efficiently provide tailored, accurate information that reinforces a person's own motivation and confidence in their own decision. This paper describes a 4-step practical framework designed to support HCPs in their dialogue with vaccine-hesitant patients. (1) Engaging to establish a trustful relationship and safety to freely express opinions, beliefs, and knowledge gaps; (2) Understanding what matters most to the individual; (3) Offering Information to co-build accurate knowledge in order to guide the individual toward vaccine intention (4) Clarifying and Accepting to validate an individual's decision-making autonomy. We believe that our pragmatic approach can contribute to greater acceptability of COVID-19 and other vaccines, and enable rapid deployment of practical MI skills across care systems.

Mitigating Misinformation Toolkit: A Medical Student Role-Play Curriculum on Communication Techniques to Facilitate Vaccine Misinformation Conversations.

Introduction: The COVID pandemic and affiliated infodemic led to widespread health misinformation, generating confusion and distrust. Physicians must identify and address misinformation, with attention to cultural/health literacy, equity, and autonomy. Most medical students receive training in core communication techniques but are rarely taught how to combat misinformation with patients and lack opportunities for practice in diverse settings. Methods: We used mixed methods to evaluate the impact of a role-play-based training curriculum on 44 third- and fourth-year medical students' comfort and confidence applying ask-respond-tell-seek solutions (ARTS) and motivational interviewing (MI) to discuss vaccine hesitancy, using COVID-19 as an example. There were three training iterations: prior to volunteering at a community health fair, during a medicine clinical rotation, and during a pediatrics rotation. Pre- and postsession questionnaires were administered. Likert-scale questions assessed comfort and confidence using ARTS and MI. Narrative responses focused on previous experiences with vaccine hesitancy, challenges faced, and session takeaways. Results: Students' comfort, confidence with ARTS/MI, and self-reported ability to discuss COVID-19 vaccinations improved as measured by pre- and postsession surveys (p < .05). Qualitatively, students reported increased confidence delivering recommendations in plain language and exploring patients' thought processes behind choices. Discussion: Reinforcement of core communications strategies in medical school can positively impact trainees' ability and ease addressing misinformation. We recommend this 45-minute training session to effectively increase medical students' comfort and confidence in discussing COVID-19 vaccines with patients. It can be adapted to any health professions school with an existing communications thread.

The Impact of Motivational Interviewing and MOTIVE Tool Use by Pharmacists on Vaccine Acceptance.

Vaccines have played a significant role in reducing infectious disease burden. However, vaccine hesitancy remains a persistent challenge in public health, including for pharmacists who often interact with patients regarding vaccines. Thus, this study assesses the impact of motivational interviewing (MI) training and the MI-based vaccine hesitancy discussion tools (MOTIVE) on pharmacists' management of vaccine hesitancy. Pharmacists in eight Midwestern pharmacy practices who completed MI and MOTIVE training and engaged with vaccine-hesitant patients participated in this study. The pharmacist participants completed post-encounter surveys identifying the vaccine discussed, the tool utilized, and the outcome of the conversation. Descriptive results from 362 encounters indicated that the primary reasons for hesitancy were safety (39%), care coordination (31.5%), and efficacy (30.4%). Post encounter, 35.4% of patients received vaccines, 26% planned to, 25.1% considered it, and 13.5% were uninterested. The findings highlight the importance of patient-centered communication, such as MI, between patients and pharmacists to identify and address reasons for vaccine hesitancy. Pharmacists, equipped with conversation tools such as the MOTIVE tools, may effectively influence vaccine acceptance. Future research should evaluate the utility of MI and the MOTIVE tools in other settings and regions.

Application of Motivational Interviewing in climate-sensitive health counselling - A workshop report.

INTRODUCTION: This workshop report explores the application of Motivational Interviewing (MI) in Climate-sensitive Health Counselling (CSHC) within the context of primary health care. As there is a growing interest in the connection of individual health and climate change mitigation, we provide practical guidance on integrating MI techniques in CSHC. METHODS: In June 2023, a 2-day workshop on MI was conducted at the Institute of General Medicine, University of Cologne. The workshop, facilitated by a certified MI trainer, combined theoretical content with practical group exercises. In a second workshop the staff of the Institute of General Medicine discussed the application of MI in CSHC. RESULTS: We identified and specified five tools to apply MI in CSHC: A) risk assessment scores, B) relevance assessment scales, C) decision matrices, D) confidence assessment scales, and E) SMART goals. These tools provide practical insights for integrating MI into primary care consultations, offering a time-efficient approach to CSHC. DISCUSSION: Our results present a promising approach for healthcare professionals to incorporate climate-related aspects into health counselling of patients. Feasibility and effects of MI in CSHC are still unclear and require further research. CONCLUSION: The tools identified provide practical guidance for the application of MI in climate-sensitive health counselling (CSHC) as well as guidance on conducting appropriate studies.

Effectiveness of Motivational Interviewing for Improving Self-Efficacy in Stroke Patients: An Occupational Therapy Randomized Control Trial Study.

Since self-efficacy or belief in one's personal capabilities is an important predictor of rehabilitation outcomes, this study aimed to investigate the effect of motivational interviewing (MI) on the self-efficacy of stroke patients. Stroke patients (n = 34) participated in a single-blinded randomized control trial study. Both the intervention (n = 17) and control (n = 17) groups received the usual occupational therapy treatment with the intervention group also receiving a weekly session of MI for four weeks. Using a pretest and posttest design, the posttest was measured eight weeks after the last session of MI. General self-efficacy score, quality of life scores, and upper limb recovery scores did not significantly improve with time in either group. However, functional independence scores, and lower limb recovery scores (p = 0.001, and p = 0.003, respectively) were significantly improved in the intervention group compared to the control group. While MI did not effectively enhance self--efficacy in stroke patients, occupational therapists could potentially enhance rehabilitation outcomes by incorporating MI in patient recovery.

Medical Students' Efforts to Address COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy Through Motivational Interviewing.

Background The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic reaffirmed health disparities in the United States (US) and highlighted the need for public health strategies to combat vaccine hesitancy, especially amongst vulnerable populations. The Green Family Foundation Neighborhood Health Education Learning Program (NeighborhoodHELP) at Florida International University (FIU) serves a predominantly uninsured population, making it a critical area of opportunity for addressing vaccine hesitancy. Motivational interviewing (MI), a technique that supports individuals in making autonomous health decisions, has shown promise in encouraging vaccine acceptance. Medical students at FIU's Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine (HWCOM) are involved in the longitudinal care of the individuals in NeighborhoodHELP and receive training in MI within their clinical skills curriculum, making them optimally positioned to conduct outreach to encourage COVID-19 vaccination. Project goals There were two primary goals of this project: first, to systematically track and improve COVID-19 vaccination rates among individuals in NeighborhoodHELP, and second, to equip future physicians with hands-on experience in MI. Methods The COVID-19 Vaccination Promotion Initiative recruited medical students previously trained in MI to conduct outreach to unvaccinated individuals within NeighborhoodHELP. Students engaged in discussions about the COVID-19 vaccine with NeighborhoodHELP members, assisted in scheduling vaccination appointments, and updated medical records. The student team regularly met with faculty advisors to discuss changes in vaccine and public health data and to discuss challenges and successes with outreach efforts. To incentivize participation and enhance vaccine uptake, $25 gift cards were offered to individuals who agreed to receive the vaccine following the outreach conversations. Results From June 2021 to January 2023, the team made an estimated 720-1516 phone calls to NeighborhoodHELP individuals. The team encountered a challenge of low answering rates, with 35% of individuals being unreachable despite multiple attempts. Among those reached, 20% expressed no interest in receiving the vaccine, while 50% were interested in receiving the vaccine or had already been vaccinated. Vaccination rates among NeighborhoodHELP adults rose from 15.2% to 44.3% during this time. Student experiences with MI were generally positive, with many noting success in engaging hesitant individuals. However, the team also encountered challenges, such as growing vaccine apathy within the community and difficulties in reaching patients via cold calls, which limited the overall impact of their outreach efforts. Conclusions By using MI techniques, medical students engaged with community members in meaningful conversations about the importance and safety of COVID-19 vaccination. However, the initiative fell short of the 50% vaccination target, facing challenges such as reliance on unsolicited phone calls and the complexities of incentivizing vaccinations through this outreach method.  Future initiatives could benefit from exploring alternative outreach methods, such as in-person engagement at community events or through partnerships with local organizations, to overcome the limitations of phone-based outreach. Additionally, investigating the relative efficacy of in-person versus telephone-based communication in promoting vaccination could provide valuable insights.

Novel Machine Learning HIV Intervention for Sexual and Gender Minority Young People Who Have Sex With Men (uTECH): Protocol for a Randomized Comparison Trial.

BACKGROUND: Sexual and gender minority (SGM) young people are disproportionately affected by HIV in the United States, and substance use is a major driver of new infections. People who use web-based venues to meet sex partners are more likely to report substance use, sexual risk behaviors, and sexually transmitted infections. To our knowledge, no machine learning (ML) interventions have been developed that use web-based and digital technologies to inform and personalize HIV and substance use prevention efforts for SGM young people. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to test the acceptability, appropriateness, and feasibility of the uTECH intervention, a SMS text messaging intervention using an ML algorithm to promote HIV prevention and substance use harm reduction among SGM people aged 18 to 29 years who have sex with men. This intervention will be compared to the Young Men's Health Project (YMHP) alone, an existing Centers for Disease Control and Prevention best evidence intervention for young SGM people, which consists of 4 motivational interviewing-based counseling sessions. The YMHP condition will receive YMHP sessions and will be compared to the uTECH+YMHP condition, which includes YMHP sessions as well as uTECH SMS text messages. METHODS: In a study funded by the National Institutes of Health, we will recruit and enroll SGM participants (aged 18-29 years) in the United States (N=330) to participate in a 12-month, 2-arm randomized comparison trial. All participants will receive 4 counseling sessions conducted over Zoom (Zoom Video Communications, Inc) with a master's-level social worker. Participants in the uTECH+YMHP condition will receive curated SMS text messages informed by an ML algorithm that seek to promote HIV and substance use risk reduction strategies as well as undergoing YMHP counseling. We hypothesize that the uTECH+YMHP intervention will be considered acceptable, appropriate, and feasible to most participants. We also hypothesize that participants in the combined condition will experience enhanced and more durable reductions in substance use and sexual risk behaviors compared to participants receiving YMHP alone. Appropriate statistical methods, models, and procedures will be selected to evaluate primary hypotheses and behavioral health outcomes in both intervention conditions using an α<.05 significance level, including comparison tests, tests of fixed effects, and growth curve modeling. RESULTS: This study was funded in August 2019. As of June 2024, all participants have been enrolled. Data analysis has commenced, and expected results will be published in the fall of 2025. CONCLUSIONS: This study aims to develop and test the acceptability, appropriateness, and feasibility of uTECH, a novel approach to reduce HIV risk and substance use among SGM young adults. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04710901; https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04710901. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/58448.

Effects of Universal School-Based Parental Support for Children's Healthy Diet and Physical Activity-the Healthy School Start Plus Cluster-Randomised Controlled Trial.

Health promotion from an early age is key to preventing unhealthy weight development in childhood, and parental involvement is essential. The school-based Healthy School Start intervention aims to promote healthy dietary and activity habits in the home environment and prevent child obesity through parental support. This study evaluated the effectiveness of the third iteration of the programme on children's dietary and activity behaviours, and body composition through a cluster-randomised controlled trial. The trial included 17 schools (8 intervention) in disadvantaged areas in mid-Sweden with 353 families with 5- to 7-year-old children. The primary outcomes were intake of selected healthy and unhealthy foods and beverages measured using photography. Secondary outcomes were physical activity and sedentary time measured by accelerometry, and measured weight and height. All outcomes were assessed at baseline and post-intervention (8 months). Linear multi-level regression showed significant favourable effects of the intervention for intake of sweet beverages (b = - 0.17, p = 0.04), intake of healthy foods (b = 0.11, p = 0.04), and more time in moderate to vigorous physical activity during weekdays (b = 5.68, p = 0.02). An unfavourable sub-group effect of the intervention was found for children from families with low education regarding sedentary time on weekends (b = 23.04, p = 0.05). The results align with the previous two trials of the programme, indicating that school-based parental support is a useful approach for health promotion in young children in disadvantaged areas. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov: No. NCT03390725, retrospectively registered on January 4, 2018, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03390725 .

Compassionate Curiosity: Mitigating the Effects of Bias Through Motivational Interviewing.

There is strong evidence that the implicit biases of health care professionals affect the treatment of patients, and that minority and other marginalized patients are disproportionately harmed. Assumptions made about patient knowledge or lack thereof function as judgments that are prone to bias, which then affect the education and advice imposed upon patients. We review how the motivational interviewing (MI) approach to patient engagement includes components of evidence-based bias-mitigating strategies, such as understanding circumstances from the patient's point of view, and therefore we propose that the MI approach can reduce the impact of bias in patient care.

Effects of motivational interviewing intervention on psychological status, compliance behavior and quality of life of patients with malignant tumor combined with diabetes mellitus.

Objective: To investigate the effects of motivational interview education on psychological status, compliance behavior and quality of life in patients with malignant tumors combined with diabetes mellitus. Methods: This is a retrospective study. Eighty patients with malignant tumors combined with diabetes mellitus admitted at The Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University from January 2021 to June 2022 were included as subjects and divided into observation group and control group according to the intervention measures. Patients in the control group were given routine health education intervention, while those in the observation group were given motivational interviewing intervention on the basis of the control group. We compared the prognosis, cognitive function, quality of life, relief of cancer pain before intervention and three months after the intervention of the two groups were compared. Results: At three months after the intervention, the total remission rate of cancer pain in the observation group was higher than that in the control group(p<0.05), while the levels of FBG and 2hPG in the observation group were significantly lower than those in the control group(p<0.05). Self-Rating Anxiety Scale(SAS) and Self-rating depression scale(SDS) scores decreased in both groups three months after the intervention, with the level of reduction in the observation group being higher than that in the control group(p<0.05). The overall compliance was higher in the observation group than in the control group(p<0.05). Conclusion: Motivational interviewing leads to alleviate negative emotions, improve the psychological status, enhance compliance behavior and improve quality of life in patients with malignant tumors combined with diabetes mellitus.

Web and theory-based motivational interviews in encouraging mothers for HPV vaccination of their daughters: A randomized controlled study.

BACKGROUND: Mothers' intentions regarding the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination of their daughters are crucial, especially in societies that prioritize cultural and religious values. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to encourage mothers to vaccinate their daughters against HPV by enhancing their perceptions of the vaccine's benefits, susceptibility, severity, and knowledge levels, while reducing their barriers through web-based interventions and Health Belief Model-based motivational interviews. METHODS: The study was designed as a pre-mid-post test randomized controlled experimental study. The sample included 63 mothers of female high school students (31 in the experimental group, 32 in the control group). Data were collected using a "Demographical and Descriptive Characteristics Information Form", "Health Belief Model Scale for Human Papillomavirus and Its Vaccination" and "Human Papillomavirus Knowledge Scale". Mothers in the experimental group received three HBM-based motivational interviews, web support, and follow-up. CLINICALTRIALS: gov code is NCT04992741. RESULTS: Following the interventions, the experimental group exhibited higher levels of knowledge, benefit, susceptibility, and severity perception of HPV vaccination, and lower perceptions of barriers compared to the control group. At the end of the study, 24 mothers from the experimental group and 5 mothers from the control group decided to vaccinate their daughters against HPV. CONCLUSIONS: Motivational interviews, along with web support and monitoring, significantly enhanced mothers' knowledge and beliefs. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICES: This study provides evidence for the applicability of theory-based motivational interviewing in the acceptance of HPV vaccine by mothers. It enables the dissemination of HPV vaccination and encourages community health nurses to use theory-based motivational interviewing to recommend HPV vaccination.