Article type
Abstract
Background:
Overweight and obesity are globally one of the major health problems. Severe obesity affects about 5-10% of the population in the industrialized world.
Taking patient preferences into account within a guideline regarding the management of obesity in adults ensures patient-centered recommendations. It enhances the relevance of the recommendations for and acceptability by the target population as well as the adherence of the patient to the recommended intervention.
Objective:
To systematically integrate patient preferences in the formulation of recommendations regarding the management of obesity in adults.
Methods:
The unit Patient Involvement of the Belgian Working group Development of Primary Care Guidelines (WOREL) supports their guideline developers in addressing patient preferences. This unit gathers data through a structured literature search and consults experts by experience through interviews. Experts by experience give feedback on their journey in general, on the clinical questions, on those outcomes that are relevant to them and on the preliminary formulated recommendations.
Results:
The literature search identified 57 mostly qualitative studies with data on patient preferences for the three clinical questions of the guideline. This review shows that experts by experience believe that interventions must be tailored to stay adherent to those interventions. The importance of collaboration and data sharing between health professionals are cited to avoid inconsistent and contradictory health messages. The communication of the healthcare professionals must be tailored to the level of health literacy of the expert by experience and the messages must be positive.
The consultations of four experts by experience emphasized the importance of tailored health education to determine feasible goals and interventions, whilst considering all the components of the biopsychosocial model as described in the ICF-framework. The experts also mentioned the value of adequate collaboration, communication and data sharing between healthcare professionals to avoid unnecessary repetition in questioning patients on the same aspects.
Conclusion:
Feedback on values and preferences of the target population through both literature and consultation of the target population ensures that the opinions of the target population are addressed. This dual procedure must increase the likelihood that the recommendations are supported and accepted by the target population.
Overweight and obesity are globally one of the major health problems. Severe obesity affects about 5-10% of the population in the industrialized world.
Taking patient preferences into account within a guideline regarding the management of obesity in adults ensures patient-centered recommendations. It enhances the relevance of the recommendations for and acceptability by the target population as well as the adherence of the patient to the recommended intervention.
Objective:
To systematically integrate patient preferences in the formulation of recommendations regarding the management of obesity in adults.
Methods:
The unit Patient Involvement of the Belgian Working group Development of Primary Care Guidelines (WOREL) supports their guideline developers in addressing patient preferences. This unit gathers data through a structured literature search and consults experts by experience through interviews. Experts by experience give feedback on their journey in general, on the clinical questions, on those outcomes that are relevant to them and on the preliminary formulated recommendations.
Results:
The literature search identified 57 mostly qualitative studies with data on patient preferences for the three clinical questions of the guideline. This review shows that experts by experience believe that interventions must be tailored to stay adherent to those interventions. The importance of collaboration and data sharing between health professionals are cited to avoid inconsistent and contradictory health messages. The communication of the healthcare professionals must be tailored to the level of health literacy of the expert by experience and the messages must be positive.
The consultations of four experts by experience emphasized the importance of tailored health education to determine feasible goals and interventions, whilst considering all the components of the biopsychosocial model as described in the ICF-framework. The experts also mentioned the value of adequate collaboration, communication and data sharing between healthcare professionals to avoid unnecessary repetition in questioning patients on the same aspects.
Conclusion:
Feedback on values and preferences of the target population through both literature and consultation of the target population ensures that the opinions of the target population are addressed. This dual procedure must increase the likelihood that the recommendations are supported and accepted by the target population.