Patient Barriers for Weight Management Among African American Women

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Community Health
• Health Disparities

Background:

• Overweight and obesity are significant health concerns within the African American community.
• Tailored weight management strategies are needed to address unique cultural and social factors.
• Understanding patient perceptions is crucial for developing effective interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore barriers to weight management among overweight/obese African American women in Milwaukee.
• To identify factors supporting successful weight management strategies.
• To inform the development of patient-centered weight management interventions for this demographic.

Main Methods:

• Three semi-structured focus groups were conducted with 41 participants.
• Participants were recruited from an academic medical center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
• Qualitative data analysis involved verbatim transcription, coding, and frequency analysis.

Main Results:

• Five primary barriers were identified: food choices, lifestyle changes, social support, locus of control, and health education.
• Participants expressed a need for improved health literacy and patient-centered care.
• There was significant interest in participating in future research and intervention development.

Conclusions:

• Community-based participatory research (CBPR) is a valuable approach for designing culturally relevant weight management interventions.
• Future research should involve diverse stakeholders, including community leaders and primary care physicians.
• Interventions should directly address the identified barriers to promote successful weight management.