Identifying Opportunities for Advancing Weight Management in Primary Care

Area of Science:

• Primary Care
• Obesity Management
• Healthcare Provider Perspectives

Background:

• Patient perspectives on weight management are well-documented.
• Understanding healthcare provider (PCPs and nurses) viewpoints is crucial for improving obesity care.
• Identifying knowledge and confidence gaps among providers can inform targeted interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess primary care providers' (PCPs) and nurses' perspectives on patient weight management.
• To identify specific areas for professional growth in obesity management within primary care settings.
• To evaluate provider attitudes, beliefs, knowledge, confidence, and practices related to weight management.

Main Methods:

• A survey was emailed to 674 primary care providers (PCPs) and nurses across 5 outpatient clinics.
• The survey collected data on opportunities, practices, knowledge, confidence, attitudes, and beliefs regarding weight management.
• A total of 219 surveys were returned, with response data analyzed for differences between PCPs and nurses.

Main Results:

• Both PCPs and nurses identified obesity as a significant health problem, yet both desired more training.
• PCPs reported more training and felt more equipped than nurses, but had lower opportunity/practice scores due to time constraints and relationship concerns.
• Nurses reported lower knowledge/confidence scores than PCPs, with neither group expressing high confidence in weight management capabilities.

Conclusions:

• This survey highlights key areas for improvement in obesity management within primary care.
• Both primary care providers (PCPs) and nurses would benefit significantly from additional, targeted educational training on weight management.
• Addressing provider confidence and practical time constraints is essential for enhancing obesity care delivery.