Primary Care Provider Knowledge and Practice Patterns Regarding Childhood Obesity

Area of Science:

• Pediatrics
• Public Health
• Healthcare Education

Background:

• Childhood obesity is a significant public health concern.
• Current provider management of pediatric obesity requires evaluation and improvement.
• Provider-focused educational interventions are a potential strategy to enhance care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess current provider practices in managing childhood obesity.
• To implement and evaluate an educational intervention aimed at improving pediatric obesity care.
• To identify barriers and needs in pediatric obesity management among healthcare providers.

Main Methods:

• Survey of family medicine and pediatric providers on documentation, intervention, knowledge gaps, and educational needs.
• Implementation of an educational program focusing on detection, documentation, follow-up, and referral for pediatric obesity and comorbidities.
• Retrospective chart review of 50 overweight or obese children before and after the intervention.

Main Results:

• Lack of time (73%) and parental perception (77%) were identified as primary provider barriers.
• Provider referrals for pediatric obesity increased from 6% to 16% post-intervention.
• Laboratory testing for pediatric obesity increased from 14% to 26% post-intervention.
• No significant changes observed in weight status discussion, diagnosis/documentation, or billing practices.

Conclusions:

• Provider education effectively enhances the appropriate ordering of laboratory studies and referrals for overweight children.
• Targeted interventions are necessary to address documentation and billing challenges in pediatric obesity care.
• Addressing provider-identified barriers is crucial for optimizing childhood obesity management.