Primary Care Management of Obesity in Patients with Mental Illness: An Educational Intervention

Obesity is highly prevalent and results in poor health outcomes and increased morbidity and mortality. Mentally ill patients are at increased risk for obesity and other health disparities that result in significantly reduced life expectancy. Primary care providers (PCP’s) are first line defense in the obesity epidemic. A brief education intervention on obesity management in patients with mental illness was presented to PCP’s at a community clinic to educate them on obesity management in patients with mental illness. A pre-and posttest was devised to assess current practice and intent to utilize knowledge. Results indicate that post intervention all provider agreed or strongly agreed that they felt more confident treating obesity indicating success of the presentation. Short-term implications of this project are better treatment for a high-risk population. More broadly, this project further adds to the current literature another example that brief educational interventions are beneficial for healthcare providers to help enable best evidence based practice.

Name thesis:degree_name

D.N.P.

Level thesis:degree_level

doctoral

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Graduate College

Grantor dc:publisher

The University of Arizona.

Year dc:date.issued

2017

Author dc:creator

• Velo, Jamie

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Ruel, Jennifer

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Ruel, Jennifer
• Estrada, Nicolette
• Edmund, Sara

• Mental Illness
• Obesity
• Primary Care

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author.

Language dc:language.iso

en_US

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/10150/626673

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:repository.arizona.edu:10150/626673