Evaluation of a Pediatric Obesity Management Toolkit for Health Care Professionals: A Quasi-Experimental Study.

Barkha P Patel,Laurie Clark,Catharine M Walsh,Jill K Hamilton,Jonah Strub,Amy C Mcpherson,Rebecca Noseworthy,Annick Buchholz,Michele Strom,Stasia Hadjiyannakis,Julie Bernard-Genest

doi:10.3390/ijerph18147568

Abstract

Health care professionals (HCPs) play a critical role in helping to address weight-related issues with pediatric patients, yet often feel ill-equipped to discuss/manage this complex and sensitive health issue. Using the five As (“Ask, Assess, Advise, Agree, and Assist”) of Pediatric Obesity Management, we created a series of educational videos and evaluated the content, quality (acceptability, engagement), and impact of these videos on HCPs’ self-efficacy, knowledge, and change in practice when addressing weight-related issues with pediatric patients and their families using questionnaires. HCPs (n = 65) participated in a baseline assessment and 4–6 month follow-up (n = 54). Knowledge and self-efficacy increased post-video for the majority of participants. At follow-up, most HCPs reported a change in their practice attributable to viewing the videos, and their self-efficacy ratings improved over time for the majority of questions asked. Most participants rated aspects of each of the videos highly. Preliminary findings suggest that an evidence-based educational toolkit of videos, based on the 5As framework, may lead to changes in self-reported behaviors among HCPs, and sustained improvements in their self-efficacy in addressing weight-related topics with children and their families. (Clinical Trial Number NCT04126291).

Highlights

Our study focused on physicians, nurses/nurse practitioners, and dietitians, and excluded other Health care professionals (HCPs) who work with pediatric patients with obesity, such as psychologists or physiotherapists, which may have altered the findings
Our evidence-informed toolkit of videos based on the 5As framework fills a considerable educational gap, led to changes in self-reported behaviors among HCPs, and sustained improvements in their self-efficacy in addressing weight-related topics with children and their families
In order to promote healthy lifestyle behaviors and prevent eating disorders and other weight-related comorbidities, there is a critical need for tools to help HCPs engage in discussion around these topics in a sensitive, positive, and effective manner

Summary

Introduction

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