Patients’ and Practitioners’ Views on Health Behaviour Change: A Qualitative Study

Patient and health professional perspectives on lifestyle behaviour change were examined. Focus groups were conducted with seven patients and thirteen health professionals. An inductive thematic analysis of transcripts suggested a range of issues that are relevant to the development and implementation of lifestyle change interventions such as time, lack of resources and starting interventions too late, as well as personal circumstances and the continuous effort that behaviour change requires. The results are discussed in relation to the implications they may have for researchers and health service commissioners designing interventions, and practitioners implementing lifestyle change interventions in primary care.