What is brief intervention and harm reduction?
- 1. What is brief intervention and harm reduction?
- 2. Definitions • Brief interventions are short, opportunistic discussions between the practitioner and the service user about a lifestyle choice, e.g. the use of substances, which may be harmful. • The object of a brief intervention is: – To motivate someone to change. – To reduce behaviour which may be harmful. – To assist someone towards recovery as they perceive it.
- 3. Definitions (cont.) NICE (2007) defines different types of brief intervention (BI) as follows: 1. Opportunistic contacts for: • Delivery of health information to hard to reach substance users. • Delivery of motivating counselling to change behaviour. 2. Planned, short sessions targeting a specific health harm, i.e. blood- borne viruses. 3. Planned, short sessions targeting motivation to change behaviour.
- 4. Definitions (cont.) The Scottish Government (2015) provides a breakdown of BI. It states BI should be: • Short • Evidence based • Structured around a conversation • Collaborative • Person-centred • Non-judgemental
- 5. Key features of brief interventions Upton & Thirlaway (2014) suggest key features of BI are that they: • Focus on reduced substance use • Are delivered by non-substance misuse professionals • Address the person’s motivation • Remain individualised • Have the following features: – Give feedback of risk, encourage responsibility for change, give options, demonstrate empathy, enhance self efficacy
- 6. So, brief intervention could be... • Information given to a heavy drinker about the risk of liver damage (harm reduction) • Advice given to an injecting drug user about how to avoid a blood borne virus (harm reduction) • A discussion with a heroin user about what they really want in life (motivational) • An offer to provide information about a self help group (access to recovery)
- 7. In brief: what’s it for? • Brief intervention can be used for any lifestyle behaviour which may be harmful. • Evidence best supports brief intervention for problematic alcohol use. • Evidence for effectiveness in drug misuse is less robust, but we can still use the same techniques. • Brief intervention can be used for any lifestyle behaviour which may be harmful.
- 8. References • The Scottish Government (2015) Local Delivery plan Standard: Alcohol brief interventions national guidance: 2015-16. Available at: http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Health/Quality-Improvement-Performance/NHS- Performance-Targets • NICE (2007) Drug Use: National Institute of Clinical Excellence Clinical Guideline 51. • Upton D & Thirlaway K (2014) Promoting Healthy Behaviour: A Practical Guide. Abingdon, Routledge.