School-based health center providers' treatment of overweight children

Area of Science:

• Pediatrics
• Public Health
• Healthcare Management

Background:

• Childhood obesity is a growing public health concern requiring effective interventions.
• School-based health centers (SBHCs) are uniquely positioned to address pediatric health issues.
• Understanding current provider practices is crucial for improving obesity care in schools.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the self-reported treatment practices of school-based health center providers for overweight and obese children.
• To identify barriers encountered by SBHC providers in managing pediatric obesity.
• To assess the extent to which SBHC providers initiate treatment and refer patients for specialized care.

Main Methods:

• A descriptive study involving 33 providers from SBHCs across six states.
• Providers completed a baseline survey detailing their practices and perceived barriers.
• Data were collected before providers received training on obesity management recommendations.

Main Results:

• SBHC providers identified patient and parent-related barriers as more significant than clinician or setting barriers (p<0.0001).
• While 97% acknowledged the need for childhood overweight treatment, only 36% initiated treatment if the child was unwilling to manage their weight.
• Referrals to specialists for overweight/obese children were not commonly reported by SBHC providers.

Conclusions:

• Patient/parental factors present substantial challenges to pediatric obesity treatment within SBHCs.
• There is a gap between recognizing the need for childhood obesity treatment and its active initiation and referral within SBHC settings.
• Further strategies are needed to support SBHC providers in overcoming barriers and effectively managing pediatric overweight and obesity.