Figure - available from: Journal of Primary Care & Community Health
This content is subject to copyright.
Source publication
Objective:
The purpose of this study was to determine self-reported knowledge, attitudes, prior experience, and perceived needs for the management of overweight and obese patients within a General Internal Medicine Practice.
Patients and methods:
An emailed cross-sectional survey was sent between June 20, 2019 and September 12, 2019 to 194 healt...
Citations
... There is also a need to improve training in weight management in T2D. Despite the urgent need for weight loss, a survey found that fewer than half (49%) of nurses and primary care physicians reported receiving specialty training in weight management since their initial medical training, yet 79% of them reported being interested in education on patient-directed weight management strategies [18], emphasizing the need for education on guideline-based disease management. ...
Background
Strategies for managing type 2 diabetes (T2D) and obesity are evolving with the introduction of targeted therapies, including incretin-based dual agonists and growing knowledge of the importance of multidisciplinary care. Accessible, effective continuing medical education (CME) activities are required to ensure that health care professionals (HCPs) understand and can implement the most recent data to optimize patient outcomes.
Objective
We aimed to measure changes in knowledge, competence, and self-reported performance and quantitatively evaluate changes in performance using anonymized patient data following participation in a web-based educational activity. The faculty-led CME-accredited activity was based on incretin-based dual agonists and patient education on T2D and obesity. The remaining educational gaps in this field were also identified.
Methods
A CME-accredited, web-based, multidisciplinary (touchMDT) educational activity titled “The future for glycemic control and weight loss in T2D and obesity: Incretin-based dual-agonists and optimizing patient education” was developed. HCP knowledge, competence, and performance were assessed before and after the activity against Moore’s expanded outcomes framework (levels 1-5), using self-reported questionnaires and by analyzing anonymized patient record data.
Results
For evaluating knowledge and competence (50 respondents before and 50 learners after the activity), the mean number of correctly answered questions was significantly higher post activity (median 5.0, IQR 4.0-6.0 to 6.0, IQR 5.0-7.0; mean 4.98, SD 1.22 to 5.78, SD 1.13; P<.001). Modest, nonsignificant improvements in self-reported performance (N=50 respondents preactivity; N=50 learners postactivity) from before to after the activity were observed (median 4.0, IQR 3.25-4.0 to 4.0, IQR 4.0-4.0; mean 3.64, SD 0.69 to 3.76, SD 0.48; P=.32). PPatient data analysis indicated that patients were being treated more intensively postactivity: before the activity, the most commonly used treatment regimens were metformin monotherapy (13/50, 26%) and dual therapy with metformin plus injectable glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist (RA; 11/50, 22%); post activity, this changed to dual therapy with metformin plus injectable GLP-1 RA (12/50, 24%) and triple therapy with metformin plus injectable GLP-1 RA plus sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitor (SGLT2i; 10/50, 20%). In addition, there was an increased number of referrals to a combination of specialists (physicians referred 27%, 8/30 of patients to ≥2 specialists before the activity and 36%, 10/28 to ≥2 specialists post activity). The remaining educational gaps included understanding the biology and psychology of obesity, efficacy and safety data for incretin-based dual agonists, and the role of the diabetes educator or diabetes care and education specialist in managing T2D and obesity.
Conclusions
This short, web-based CME activity on the management of T2D and obesity led to improvements in HCP knowledge, competence, and performance. Several remaining unmet needs were identified, which can be used to inform the content of future educational activities in this disease area.
... As of 2016, globally, the prevalence of overweight adults was 39% and obesity was at 13%, tripling since 1975. By 2030, the global obesity rate is forecasted to rise to 20% [28][29][30][31][32][33]. ...
Background/Objectives: Obesity has surged globally, posing various health risks. Its prevalence and management, especially in primary health care settings in Saudi Arabia, have recently been under the spotlight. This research synthesized various studies, analyzing the knowledge and preparedness of primary health care physicians in addressing and management of obesity in Saudi Arabia. Methods: An exhaustive evaluation of studies spanning different regions of Saudi Arabia, focusing on physicians' capabilities, knowledge, and practices in obesity management. This analysis also took into account the comparative approaches of countries like Canada, the UK, USA, and Hungary. Various factors, such as specialized obesity treatments, patient-centric approaches in pediatric obesity, career stages of physicians, obesity's correlation with noncommunicable diseases, and nutritional competence, were studied. Results: Nine studies were included. From a collective pool of 2430 participants across the discussed studies, challenges in obesity management were consistent. Despite having an understanding of obesity, there was a significant knowledge gap in specialized treatments, with many physicians feeling unprepared to manage the condition. Factors such as geographical diversity, physicians' experiences, external influences on pediatric obesity management, and the correlation between obesity and other health conditions were highlighted. The need for effective nutrition care, despite perceived capability, was a notable finding. Conclusion: Saudi Arabia faces a significant challenge in obesity management in primary health care settings, marked by knowledge gaps and the need for continuous training. The analyzed studies emphasize the importance of tailored interventions, robust training modules, and public health campaigns within Saudi Arabia's unique context to combat the obesity epidemic effectively.
