None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
There is a growing body of evidence that identifies obesity as a major risk factor for a number of diseases, including Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and some cancers. In Australia, the prevalence of overweight and obesity has been increasing; 63% of adults were classed as overweight or obese in 2014-15, up from 57% in 1995. The National Health and Medical Research Council clinical practice guidelines for the management of overweight and obesity in adults, adolescents and children in Australia identifies primary care as playing an important role in weight management. Obesity has also recently been classified as a disease by the Royal Australian College of General Practice (RACGP), and there are increasing calls for primary care to screen for overweight and obesity. Previous studies suggest few patients attending general practice in Australia are weighed, and few at risk patients are given advice or referred to other services. Identified barriers include concerns about upsetting patients and perceptions that effective interventions are lacking. Few studies have evaluated the impact of weight management interventions delivered by primary care practitioners, but there is some evidence that GP referrals to programmes outside of the primary care setting can be effective, though studies are limited. Initiating weight management conversations in primary care is therefore a controversial issue, and there is a need to explore the views of those directly affected by overweight and obesity. Community Juries are a deliberative democracy technique that involve providing a jury, made up of community members, with expert information about both sides of a controversial issue. The jury then deliberate amongst themselves, and are asked to form a consensus or majority “verdict” on the topic question, which can influence health policy decision-making. The aim of this Community Jury is to elicit the views of well-informed people with overweight and obesity about the role of GPs in initiating conversations about weight management.
Interventions
We will conduct a community jury (CJ) to elicit informed community preferences for GPs initiating conversations about weight management in primary care. This Community Jury will consider two interconnected questions about potential provision of weight management advice within primary care. Firstly, should GPs be initiating discussions about weight management? And secondly, if so, when: a) opportunistically, b) in the context of disease prevention, c) in the context of disease management or d) ot
We will conduct a community jury (CJ) to elicit informed community preferences for GPs initiating conversations about weight management in primary care. This Community Jury will consider two interconnected questions about potential provision of weight management advice within primary care. Firstly, should GPs be initiating discussions about weight management? And secondly, if so, when: a) opportunistically, b) in the context of disease prevention, c) in the context of disease management or d) other? The CJ will consist of one group of 15 participants and will be facilitated by Dr Rae Thomas, a Psychologist with over 20 years experience. We will conduct the Community Jury over two days (Saturday and Sunday). On Day 1, following consent, participants will complete a brief pre-jury survey. We will provide the participants with expert presenter biographies and handouts of their presentations. The participants will listen to a 20-minute voice-over-power point presentation from experts with a further 10 minutes after each presentation for questions and answers directly to the experts via mobile phone. Participants will hear presentations from experts in obesity, primary care, and weight management. The first expert will provide a scientific overview of obesity. The second will present an overview of the available resources and services for weight management in the Gold Coast. The third and fourth experts will represent differing views on whether GPs should be initiating these conversations; one will present in support of this and the other will present against. The presentations will be followed by a facilitated discussion to elicit participants’ reflections and responses to the information presented. These discussions will be led by an experienced facilitator (RT), who will facilitate discussion, ensure all participants have an equal chance to voice opinions, record questions, and note any participant concerns. At the start of Day 2 the jury will be asked to reflect on the discussions from Day 1 and to put forward any additional questions for the experts. The experts will provide answers to any identified questions via speaker-phone. The jury will then deliberate without a facilitator present on the 2 questions put to the jury about initiating conversations about weight management within primary care. Participants will deliberate until a consensus or impasse is reached and present their decision to the facilitator and researchers.
Sponsors
Bond University
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
Individuals with a body mass index greater than or equal to 25 (Calculated from self-reported heights and weights), as this is the clinically determined cut-off for overweight.
Exclusion criteria
(i) unable to provide informed consent due to mental incapacity or active psychotic illness, or (ii) unable to speak or understand English.
Outcome results
None listed