News

MI Training in Botswana
On Nov 8 - 9, we conducted a training for healthcare workers and trainers to introduce them to a brief screening tool that they can use to address alcohol use with all of their patients, many of whom are being tested or treated for HIV. This tool includes several assessment questions to identify high risk drinking, a brief message of advice to reduce drinking to below risky limits and several rulers to deteremine importance, confidence and readiness to cut back on risky drinking.

During this training, we also reviewed and practiced Motivational Interviewing strategies, such as asking open-ended questions, using reflective listening to gain further clarity of the patient's situation, summarizing the conversation and eliciting change talk.

On Nov 10, we met with the trainers to help them practice delivering components of a modified version of this training, which they will be doing with other healthcare workers throughout the country. We hope to stay involved with this group, primarily through BOTUSA, the local agency in Botswana that sponsored this event. We are very excited about the opportunity to link this group to others who have also been using Motivational Interviewing in other projects throughout (Southern) Africa, to help them further develop their clinical and training skills.

Jacki Hecht, RN, MSN
Weight Control and Diabetes Research Center
The Miriam Hospital
196 Richmond Street
Providence, RI 02903
Phone: 401-793-8960
Fax: 401-793-8943
jhecht@lifespan.org
visit our website at www.weightresearch.org