Luke M Funk1, Sally A Jolles2, Corrine I Voils3. 1. William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital, Madison, Wisconsin; Department of Surgery, Wisconsin Surgical Outcomes Research Program (WiSOR), University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin. Electronic address: funk@surgery.wisc.edu. 2. William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital, Madison, Wisconsin; Department of Surgery, Wisconsin Surgical Outcomes Research Program (WiSOR), University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin. 3. Center for Health Services Research in Primary Care, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina; Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: In 2013, the American Medical Association (AMA) passed a resolution characterizing obesity as a disease. It is unclear whether primary care physicians (PCPs) agree with this characterization and how their agreement or lack thereof affects their treatment of patients with obesity. OBJECTIVES: We sought to understand PCP opinions about the AMA obesity resolution and how it has affected management of patients with obesity. SETTING: Small, medium, and large communities in Wisconsin METHODS: Focus groups were conducted with PCPs in Wisconsin. PCPs were asked whether they considered obesity a disease and what they factored into this consideration, including the AMA decision. A directed approach to content analysis was used to analyze the data. A taxonomy of consensus codes was developed, coding summaries were generated, and representative quotes were identified. RESULTS: Three focus groups comprising a total of 16 PCP participants were conducted. Not all PCPs were aware of the AMA resolution. PCPs held divergent opinions on whether obesity represented a disease, primarily focusing their considerations on obesity as a risk factor versus a disease. They also discussed how considering obesity as a disease affects the patient-doctor relationship, insurance coverage, physician reimbursement, and research. CONCLUSION: The AMA resolution did not appear to have made a significant impact on PCP opinions or management practices in our focus groups in Wisconsin. Follow-up surveys that quantify the prevalance of these opinions and practices at the state and national levels would be highly informative. Published by Elsevier Inc.
BACKGROUND: In 2013, the American Medical Association (AMA) passed a resolution characterizing obesity as a disease. It is unclear whether primary care physicians (PCPs) agree with this characterization and how their agreement or lack thereof affects their treatment of patients with obesity. OBJECTIVES: We sought to understand PCP opinions about the AMA obesity resolution and how it has affected management of patients with obesity. SETTING: Small, medium, and large communities in Wisconsin METHODS: Focus groups were conducted with PCPs in Wisconsin. PCPs were asked whether they considered obesity a disease and what they factored into this consideration, including the AMA decision. A directed approach to content analysis was used to analyze the data. A taxonomy of consensus codes was developed, coding summaries were generated, and representative quotes were identified. RESULTS: Three focus groups comprising a total of 16 PCP participants were conducted. Not all PCPs were aware of the AMA resolution. PCPs held divergent opinions on whether obesity represented a disease, primarily focusing their considerations on obesity as a risk factor versus a disease. They also discussed how considering obesity as a disease affects the patient-doctor relationship, insurance coverage, physician reimbursement, and research. CONCLUSION: The AMA resolution did not appear to have made a significant impact on PCP opinions or management practices in our focus groups in Wisconsin. Follow-up surveys that quantify the prevalance of these opinions and practices at the state and national levels would be highly informative. Published by Elsevier Inc.
Authors: Sean M Phelan; Rebecca M Puhl; Sara E Burke; Rachel Hardeman; John F Dovidio; David B Nelson; Julia Przedworski; Diana J Burgess; Sylvia Perry; Mark W Yeazel; Michelle van Ryn Journal: Med Educ Date: 2015-10 Impact factor: 6.251
Authors: Lawrence A Palinkas; Sarah M Horwitz; Carla A Green; Jennifer P Wisdom; Naihua Duan; Kimberly Hoagwood Journal: Adm Policy Ment Health Date: 2015-09
Authors: Luke M Funk; Sally A Jolles; Caprice C Greenberg; Margaret L Schwarze; Nasia Safdar; Megan A McVay; Jeffrey C Whittle; Matthew L Maciejewski; Corrine I Voils Journal: Surg Obes Relat Dis Date: 2015-12-02 Impact factor: 4.734
Authors: A B Crujeiras; D Gomez-Arbelaez; M A Zulet; M C Carreira; I Sajoux; D de Luis; A I Castro; J Baltar; I Baamonde; A Sueiro; M Macias-Gonzalez; D Bellido; F J Tinahones; J A Martinez; F F Casanueva Journal: Int J Obes (Lond) Date: 2017-06-07 Impact factor: 5.095
Authors: Eliza A Conaty; Woody Denham; Stephen P Haggerty; John G Linn; Raymond J Joehl; Michael B Ujiki Journal: Obes Surg Date: 2020-02 Impact factor: 4.129