Project Options was designed to examine how well Medical Doctors can deliver the 2-3 minute ABC (Addressing Behavior Change) method of physician-patient communication during a routine office visit, following training and supervision. Brief Negotiated Interviews (BNIs) have been shown to be efficacious in modifying health-related behaviors that are extremely resistant to change (e.g., smoking), and may be a promising approach to use in lowering UV risk behaviors. The ABC method was developed to emphasize a collaborative relationship between health care providers and patients when addressing behavior change, rather than MDs dictating change to a patient. A future goal of this research is to determine if the ABC intervention is effective in changing patient behavior.
Funded by the NIH/NCI.
Principal Investigator: Kimberly Mallett, Ph.D.
Selected Publications:
Mallett, K. A., Ackerman, S., Turrisi, R., & Robinson, J. (2015). Rates of sunburn among dermatology patients. JAMA Dermatology, 151(2), 231-232. PMCID: PMC4860264 [PubMed]
Mallett, K. A., Turrisi, R., Billingsley, E., Comer, C. D., Read, A., Varvil-Weld, L., Gaber, R., Favero, S., Guttman, K., & Robinson, J. K. (2012). Enhancing patients’ satisfaction and sun protective behaviors using the ABC method of physician-patient communication. Archives of Dermatology, 148(9), 1087-1089. PMCID: PMC3810289 [PubMed]
Mallett, K. A., Turrisi, R., Guttman, K., Read, A., Billingsley, E., & Robinson, J. (2011). Assessing dermatologists’ ability to deliver a novel intervention to improve patients’ use of sun protection: The ABC method of physician-patient communication. Archives of Dermatology, 147(12), 1451-1453. PMCID: PMC3810295 [PubMed]