Anita Laidlaw1, Calum McHale2, Heather Locke3, Jo Cecil4. 1. 1Principal Teaching Fellow & Co-Director of the Centre for Higher Education Research,School of Medicine,Population and Behavioural Health Sciences,University of St Andrews,Fife,UK. 2. 2PhD Student,School of Medicine,Population and Behavioural Health Sciences,University of St Andrews,Fife,UK. 3. 3Trainee Health Psychologist,Health Psychology Service for Health and Social Care,NHS Lanarkshire,North Lanarkshire Council,Motherwell,UK. 4. 4Lecturer,School of Medicine, Population and Behavioural Health Sciences,University of St Andrews,Fife,UK.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Obesity is a major public health issue and primary care practitioners are well placed to opportunistically raise the issue of overweight or obesity with their patients. AIM AND METHODS: This study investigated the prevalence of weight discussion in primary care consultations with overweight and obese patients, in a practice in Fife, Scotland, and described weight-related communication using video analysis. FINDINGS: Weight was raised in 25% of consultations with overweight and obese patients. GPs initiated weight discussion more often than patients; however, these attempts were often blocked by patients. Weight-related outcomes were more common when patients initiated the weight discussion. This study confirms the potential of video analysis for understanding primary care weight discussion. It also suggests that GPs may benefit from a communication-based intervention to tackle patient blocking behaviours and contributes to the evidence suggesting that interventions targeted to increase the prevalence of weight-related discussions with their patients are needed.
BACKGROUND:Obesity is a major public health issue and primary care practitioners are well placed to opportunistically raise the issue of overweight or obesity with their patients. AIM AND METHODS: This study investigated the prevalence of weight discussion in primary care consultations with overweight and obesepatients, in a practice in Fife, Scotland, and described weight-related communication using video analysis. FINDINGS: Weight was raised in 25% of consultations with overweight and obesepatients. GPs initiated weight discussion more often than patients; however, these attempts were often blocked by patients. Weight-related outcomes were more common when patients initiated the weight discussion. This study confirms the potential of video analysis for understanding primary care weight discussion. It also suggests that GPs may benefit from a communication-based intervention to tackle patient blocking behaviours and contributes to the evidence suggesting that interventions targeted to increase the prevalence of weight-related discussions with their patients are needed.
Entities:
Keywords:
General Practitioners; communication; consultations; obesity; patients; primary care; weight