Abstract
Objective
To explore the perspectives of healthcare professionals (HCPs) within an integrated care approach on the facilitators, barriers and needs in children with obesity and their parents in achieving a healthier lifestyle.
Methods
Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eighteen HCPs working within a Dutch integrated care approach. The interviews were analyzed by performing a thematic content analysis.
Results
Main facilitators identified by HCPs were support from parents and the social network. Main barriers were first and foremost family’s lack of motivation, which was singled out as a precondition for starting the behavior change process. Other barriers were child’s socio-emotional problems, parental personal problems, lack of parenting skills, parental lack of knowledge and skills regarding a healthier lifestyle, parental lack of problem awareness and HCP’s negative attitude. To overcome these barriers, main needs that HCPs suggested were a tailored approach in healthcare and a supportive HCP.
Conclusion
The HCPs identified the breadth and complexity of underlying factors of childhood obesity, of which the family’s motivation was pointed out as a critical factor to address.
Innovation
Understanding the patient’s perspective is important for HCPs to provide the tailored care needed to address the complexity of childhood obesity.
To explore the perspectives of healthcare professionals (HCPs) within an integrated care approach on the facilitators, barriers and needs in children with obesity and their parents in achieving a healthier lifestyle.
Methods
Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eighteen HCPs working within a Dutch integrated care approach. The interviews were analyzed by performing a thematic content analysis.
Results
Main facilitators identified by HCPs were support from parents and the social network. Main barriers were first and foremost family’s lack of motivation, which was singled out as a precondition for starting the behavior change process. Other barriers were child’s socio-emotional problems, parental personal problems, lack of parenting skills, parental lack of knowledge and skills regarding a healthier lifestyle, parental lack of problem awareness and HCP’s negative attitude. To overcome these barriers, main needs that HCPs suggested were a tailored approach in healthcare and a supportive HCP.
Conclusion
The HCPs identified the breadth and complexity of underlying factors of childhood obesity, of which the family’s motivation was pointed out as a critical factor to address.
Innovation
Understanding the patient’s perspective is important for HCPs to provide the tailored care needed to address the complexity of childhood obesity.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 100074 |
| Pages (from-to) | 1-7 |
| Number of pages | 7 |
| Journal | PEC Innovation |
| Volume | 1 |
| Early online date | 20 Aug 2022 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Dec 2022 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:This work was supported by the Netherlands Cardiovascular Research Initiative : An initiative with support of the Dutch Heart Foundation and ZonMw (grant number CVON2016-07 LIKE). This project was also part of the Care for Obesity Project ( VU University Amsterdam ), which was funded by the Dutch Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport (grant numbers 328544 , 329657 , 977473 , 332401 ). The funders did not have any role in the study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish or preparation of the manuscript.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 The Authors
Keywords
- Behavior change
- Healthcare professionals
- Integrated care
- Pediatric obesity
- Qualitative research