Very brief advice (VBA) is an evidence-based approach to increasing quit attempts. The purpose of VBA is to engage with people who smoke and get them to think about quitting. The aim is not to tell people how they should behave (quit smoking), but to guide them to the quit support that is available. VBA focuses on offering help by providing:
VBA is an opportunistic, non-intrusive and respectful approach which can be used by anyone, in any setting, including community settings. VBA is not smoking cessation therapy and does not require formal counselling skills or knowledge of the stages of behaviour change because:
In simple terms VBA is a short conversation lasting from 30 seconds to a couple of minutes during which you:
Because of the opportunistic non-clinical nature of VBA, anyone who has contact with people who smoke from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities should be able to provide this including:
According to a review of the evidence, brief simple advice about quitting smoking increases the likelihood that someone who smokes will successfully quit and remain smoke-free 12 months later.
VBA is a modification of the 5As (Ask, Advise, Assess, Assist, Arrange) approach to brief intervention which is often recommended for use in a clinical setting. You can read more about this clinical approach on the fact sheet: Key facts about behavioural support for smoking cessation.