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Practitioners' views on managing childhood obesity in primary care: a qualitative study
Katrina M Turner1, Julian P H Shield, Chris Salisbury
1Academic Unit of Primary Health Care, University of Bristol, Bristol. katrina.turner@bristol.ac.uk
Insights
Primary care practitioners do not feel equipped to manage childhood obesity due to limited expertise and resources. National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidance is unlikely to improve this situation.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Pediatrics
- Healthcare Management
Background:
- Guidance on childhood obesity management was issued to primary care practitioners in 2006.
- Practitioners' perspectives on managing childhood obesity in primary care are not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate healthcare practitioners' views on primary care as a setting for childhood obesity treatment.
Main Methods:
- A qualitative interview study was conducted with 30 primary care practitioners in Bristol, England.
- Interviews explored experiences with childhood obesity management and awareness of Department of Health and NICE guidance.
- Thematic analysis was used to interpret interview data.
Main Results:
- Practitioners expressed varied opinions on primary care's suitability for treating childhood obesity.
- Key limitations identified include lack of expertise, resources, and contact with children.
- Few practitioners were aware of the existing national guidance.
Conclusions:
- Primary care is not currently perceived as an effective setting for childhood obesity treatment.
- The current guidance is unlikely to significantly impact practitioners' management of childhood obesity.
Background:
In 2006 the Department of Health and the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) published guidance on the management of childhood obesity, for use by primary care practitioners. Little is known, however, about practitioners' views and experiences of managing childhood obesity in primary care.
Aim:
To explore practitioners' views of primary care as a setting in which to treat childhood obesity.
Design Of Study:
Qualitative interview study.
Setting:
Primary care and other community settings based in Bristol, England.
Method:
Interviews explored practitioners' views and experiences of managing childhood obesity and their knowledge of the recent guidance provided by the Department of Health and NICE. Interviews were audiotaped and transcribed verbatim. Analysis was thematic and comparisons made both within and across the interviews.
Results:
Thirty practitioners were interviewed: 12 GPs, 10 practice nurses, four school nurses, and four health visitors. Participants varied in their views about whether primary care is an appropriate treatment setting for childhood obesity. However, all described factors that limited the extent to which they could intervene effectively: a lack of expertise, resources, and contact with primary school children; the causes of childhood obesity; and the need to work with parents. It was also apparent that very few participants had knowledge of the recent guidance.
Conclusion:
Practitioners do not currently view primary care as an effective treatment setting for childhood obesity and it is unlikely that the guidance from the Department of Health and NICE will have a meaningful impact on their management of this condition.
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