Occupational Therapy for Excess Body Weight in Primary Care Settings.

Area of Science:

• Health Sciences
• Occupational Therapy
• Preventive Care

Background:

• Excess body weight (EBW) presents a significant public health challenge.
• Primary care settings are crucial for preventive health interventions.
• Occupational therapy's role in weight management within primary care is not well-defined.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize the current role of occupational therapy in preventive care for adult primary care patients with EBW.
• To explore occupational therapists' experiences and approaches when working with patients with EBW.

Main Methods:

• Exploratory sequential mixed methods design.
• Semi-structured interviews with 27 primary care occupational therapists.
• A subsequent survey administered to 62 participants, guided by interview findings.

Main Results:

• Occupational therapists prioritize patient-led weight conversations and focus on meaningful health-promoting activities over weight loss.
• Therapists assess changes in subjective participation rather than body composition.
• 50% of surveyed therapists avoided the term "weight," and 77% focused on meaningful participation in health management.

Conclusions:

• Occupational therapy offers a unique, holistic, and patient-centered approach to weight management.
• This approach emphasizes functional activities and patient autonomy, potentially fostering more respectful interventions.
• Further integration of occupational therapy in primary care can enhance preventive strategies for EBW.