Abstract
BackgroundQuality, evidence-based obesity management training for family medicine residents is needed to better support patients. To address this gap, we developed a comprehensive course based on the 5As of Obesity Management™ (ASK, ASSESS, ADVISE, AGREE, ASSIST), a framework and suite of resources to improve residents’ knowledge and confidence in obesity counselling. This study assessed the course’s impact on residents’ attitudes, beliefs, and confidence with obesity counselling.MethodsThe course combines lectures with a bariatric empathy suit experience, standardized and in-clinic patient practice, and narrative reflections. Using a multi-methods design we measured changes in 42 residents’ attitudes, beliefs, and self-confidence and thematically analyzed the narrative reflections to understand residents’ experience with the course content and pedagogy.ResultsFollowing the course, residents reported improved attitudes towards people living with obesity and improved confidence for obesity counselling. Pre/post improvement in BAOP scores (n = 32) were significant (p < .001)., ATOP scores did not change significantly. Residents showed improvement in assessing root causes of weight gain (p < .01), advising patients on treatment options (p < .05), agreeing with patients on health outcomes (p < .05), assisting patients in addressing their barriers (p < .05), counseling patients on weight gain during pregnancy, (p < .05), counseling patients on depression and anxiety (p < .01), counseling patients on iatrogenic causes of weight gain (p < .01), counseling patients who have children with obesity (p < .05), and referring patients to interdisciplinary providers for care (p < .05).Qualitative analysis of narrative reflections illustrates that experiential learning was crucial in increasing residents’ ability to empathically engage with patients and to critically reflect on implications for their practice.ConclusionThe 5AsT-MD course has the potential to increase residents’ confidence and competency in obesity prevention and management. Findings reflect the utility of the 5As to improve residents’ confidence and competency in obesity management counselling.
Highlights
Quality, evidence-based obesity management training for family medicine residents is needed to better support patients
This paper reports on the pilot run of a new educational intervention to better prepare family medicine residents for obesity management, the 5As Team research program (5AsT)-MD course
The 5AsT for Doctors of Medicine (5AsT-MD) course was delivered to two cohorts of first year family medicine residents training at the University of Alberta (n = 61) as part of the mandatory Doctor-Patient Relationship (DPR) course
Summary
Evidence-based obesity management training for family medicine residents is needed to better support patients. To address this gap, we developed a comprehensive course based on the 5As of Obesity ManagementTM (ASK, ASSESS, ADVISE, AGREE, ASSIST), a framework and suite of resources to improve residents’ knowledge and confidence in obesity counselling. The prevention and management of obesity and related chronic diseases is an integral aspect of family medicine. These conditions are affecting increasing numbers of adults and children [1, 2]. Patients often feel uncomfortable bringing up weight concerns despite expressing their need for physicians to initiate such a conversation [14,15,16,17]
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