Exploring the patients perspective on patient-centered practice as part of their dietetic weight loss journey

<p>Victoria Silvestro, Anne McMahon and Linda Tapsell</p>

Exploring the patients perspective on patient-centered practice as part of their dietetic weight loss journey

Victoria Silvestro, Anne McMahon and Linda Tapsell

University of Wollongong, Australia

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Abstract

Increasing prevalence of obesity has reinforced the need to include a patient centered approach for dietetic weight management. However there is an absence in dietetic literature around how this approach is interpreted and implemented from the dietitian’s and patient’s perspective. The Wellness, wellbeing and food choice framework tool draws upon the concepts of patient-centered practice to theoretically support Dietitians implementation in practice. This qualitative study aims to investigate the patient’s perspective on patient-centered approaches and identify the appropriateness of the dietary tool as part of weight loss management. Semi-structured interviews with individuals (n=11) who have attempted weight loss were digitally recorded, transcribed, coded and thematically analyzed. The interviews explored individual perspectives on patient centered practice and the meaningfulness of the tool. A central organizing factor of patient-centered values was identified in the interviews which embody patient’s context, dietetic interventions and weight loss. The interviews established that patients perceive obtaining their perspectives an important component in patient-centered care for weight loss. Patients recognized the tools appropriateness for dietetic weight management with some changes. These findings found that patients valued patientcentered approach for the dietary weight loss management. The small sample size warrants further investigation to support the implementation of this approach in practice. Further refinement and prototype testing of the clinical tool is also required.