scholarly journals Successful childhood obesity management in primary care in Canada: what are the odds?

PeerJ ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
pp. e1327 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefan Kuhle ◽  
Rachel Doucette ◽  
Helena Piccinini-Vallis ◽  
Sara F.L. Kirk

Background.The management of a child presenting with obesity in a primary care setting can be viewed as a multi-step behavioral process with many perceived and actual barriers for families and primary care providers. In order to achieve the goal of behavior change and, ultimately, clinically meaningful weight management outcomes in a child who is considered obese, all steps in this process should ideally be completed. We sought to review the evidence for completing each step, and to estimate the population effect of secondary prevention of childhood obesity in Canada.Methods.Data from the 2009/2010 Canadian Community Health Survey and from a review of the literature were used to estimate the probabilities for completion of each step. A flow chart based on these probabilities was used to determine the proportion of children with obesity that would undergo and achieve clinically meaningful weight management outcomes each year in Canada.Results.We estimated that the probability of a child in Canada who presents with obesity achieving clinically meaningful weight management outcomes through secondary prevention in primary care is around 0.6% per year, with a range from 0.01% to 7.2% per year. The lack of accessible and effective weight management programs appeared to be the most important bottleneck in the process.Conclusions.In order to make progress towards supporting effective pediatric obesity management, efforts should focus on population-based primary prevention and a systems approach to change our obesogenic society, alongside the allocation of resources toward weight management approaches that are comprehensively offered, equitably distributed and robustly evaluated.

2018 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 63-78 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samareh G Hill ◽  
Thao-Ly T Phan ◽  
George A Datto ◽  
Jobayer Hossain ◽  
Lloyd N Werk ◽  
...  

Pediatric primary care providers play a critical role in managing obesity yet often lack the resources and support systems to provide effective care to children with obesity. The objective of this study was to identify system-level barriers to managing obesity and resources desired to better managing obesity from the perspective of pediatric primary care providers. A 64-item survey was electronically administered to 159 primary care providers from 26 practices within a large pediatric primary care network. Bivariate analyses were performed to compare survey responses based on provider and practice characteristics. Also factor analysis was conducted to determine key constructs that effect pediatric interventions for obesity. Survey response rate was 69% ( n = 109), with the majority of respondents being female (77%), physicians (67%), and without prior training in obesity management (74%). Time constraints during well visits (86%) and lack of ancillary staff (82%) were the most frequently reported barriers to obesity management. Information on community resources (99%), an on-site dietitian (96%), and patient educational materials (94%) were most frequently identified as potentially helpful for management of obesity in the primary care setting. Providers who desired more ancillary staff were significantly more likely to practice in clinics with a higher percentage of obese, Medicaid, and Hispanic patients. Integrating ancillary lifestyle expert support into primary care practices and connecting primary care practices to community organizations may be a successful strategy for assisting primary care providers with managing childhood obesity, especially among vulnerable populations.


2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (02) ◽  
pp. 210-217
Author(s):  
Amy Williams ◽  
Christy Turer ◽  
Jamie Smith ◽  
Isabelle Nievera ◽  
Laura McCulloch ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Primary care providers are tasked with the increasingly difficult job of addressing childhood obesity during clinic visits. Electronic medical record (EMR)-enabled decision-support tools may aid providers in this task; however, information is needed regarding whether providers perceive such tools to be useful for addressing nutrition and physical activity lifestyle behaviors. Objectives This study aimed to evaluate the usefulness and usability of FitTastic, an EMR-enabled tool to support prevention and management of childhood obesity in primary care. Methods In this mixed-method study, we implemented the FitTastic tool in two primary-care clinics, then surveyed and conducted focused interviews with providers. Validated Technology Acceptance Model perceived usefulness and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) perceived usability survey questions were e-mailed to 60 providers. In-depth provider interviews with family medicine and pediatric physicians (n = 12) were used to further probe adoption of FitTastic. Results Surveys were completed by 73% of providers (n = 44). The mean score for FitTastic's usefulness was 3.3 (standard deviation [SD] = 0.54, scale 1–5, where 5 is strongly agree) and usability, 4.8 (SD = 0.86, scale 1–7, where 7 is strongly agree). Usefulness and usability scores were associated with intention to use FitTastic (correlation for both, p < 0.05). Data from provider interviews indicated that useful features of FitTastic included: standardizing the approach to childhood obesity, and facilitating conversations about weight management, without increasing cognitive workload. However, use of FitTastic required more time from nurses to input lifestyle data. Conclusion FitTastic is perceived as a useful and usable EMR-based lifestyle behavior tool that standardizes, facilitates, and streamlines healthy lifestyle conversations with families. Perceived usability and usefulness scores correlated with provider intention-to-use the technology. These data suggest that EMR-based child obesity prevention and management tools can be feasible to use in the clinic setting, with potential for scalability. Usefulness can be optimized by limiting amount of time needed by staff to input data.


2019 ◽  
Vol 58 (6) ◽  
pp. 665-670 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christine B. SanGiovanni ◽  
Kristen Morella ◽  
James Russell Roberts

Primary care providers (PCPs) have few resources to manage their overweight/obese patients. The purpose of study was to determine if technological resources, such as smartphone apps, may be useful for weight management counseling. PCPs were surveyed about their current use of resources for obesity management and whether smartphone apps would be helpful. Seventy-four PCPs completed the survey. Only 15% currently referred patients to smartphone apps at least sometimes or more often. When asked about features of apps, 66% were not aware of apps with interactive healthy eating games, yet if aware, 45% reported they would refer patients. Providers reported a greater likelihood of being more effective using an app compared with their current ability to manage overweight/obesity, 3.19 versus 2.85, P < .01. The majority of pediatric providers surveyed do not provide technological resources for their overweight/obese patients; yet, they appear interested in using smartphone apps as a resource.


Author(s):  
Komer M ◽  
◽  
Ben-Zion S ◽  
Raina R ◽  
◽  
...  

Our study assessed how primary care providers in a large outpatient network follow ECR guidelines with regards to laboratory screening for comorbidities of obese patients in the 9 to 11 year age group. This retrospective cohort study included 706 patients seen in an outpatient network with a 10 year well child check from 7/1/17 to 7/1/18 and a BMI greater than or equal to the 95th percentile. Our study found 42% of patients, who met ECR guidelines, had no lipid screening or obesity co-morbidity screening obtained. The most frequently abnormal test was the lipid panel, at 23%, and notably 16 % of Hemoglobin A1C screening resulted pre-diabetic range. Our study serves as an updated review of ECR compliance in a large primary care network and suggests an opportunity to enhance education on screening recommendations.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document