# Examining healthcare professional delivery of health behaviour change interventions during a public health emergency: A multi-professional survey among NHS healthcare professionals

## TL;DR

This study explores how healthcare professionals in the UK delivered health behavior change interventions during the COVID-19 pandemic and what factors influenced their efforts.

## Contribution

The study identifies specific professional and situational factors linked to the delivery of health behavior change interventions during a public health emergency.

## Key findings

- Older professionals, nurses, and health visitors were more likely to deliver interventions.
- Higher emotional job stress was linked to more time spent on interventions.
- Younger professionals and those with lower job satisfaction may need targeted support.

## Abstract

This study aimed to assess the extent to which healthcare professional characteristics and perceptions of major stressors during a public health emergency were associated with delivering health behaviour change interventions. A survey was administered in 2022 to a representative sample of 1008 healthcare professionals working in the UK’s National Health Service (NHS). Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and hierarchical linear regression. Older respondents, higher levels of job satisfaction, being a nurse or health visitor, and reporting higher levels of perceived impacts of the COVID-19 public health emergency were associated with higher prevalence of delivering interventions. Higher levels of emotional job stress were associated with greater time spent delivering interventions (but not with a higher prevalence of contacts involving intervention delivery). Interventions targeted at younger healthcare professionals, those reporting lower job satisfaction, and healthcare professionals other than nurses or health visitors would be particularly beneficial.