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Journal article
Reimagining Primary Care Visits for People Living with Obesity: A Co-Design and Validation Study
Patient education and counseling, v 138, 109190
Sep 2025
PMID: 40472767
Featured in Collection : Research Supported by Drexel Libraries' OA Programs
Abstract
Objective
Patients living with obesity may delay primary care visits due to negative experiences, yet their optimal primary care experience has not been defined. Our objective was to describe an ideal primary care visit in collaboration with people living with obesity and determine its validity among a sample of adults with obesity.
Methods
We employed a co-design process where participants created an ideal primary care visit scenario that was followed by a 2024 cross-sectional survey of people with obesity for validation. We recruited U.S. adults with obesity who had a primary care visit within 5 years. Participants viewed the ideal scenario and rated its overall quality on a 10-point scale [poor (1) to excellent (10)], which we compared to overall quality reported for their last primary care visit using an unpaired t-test. Participants rated the importance of 13 scenario elements on a 4-point scale (‘not at all important’ to ‘very important’).
Results
Among the 250 survey participants, 60% were aged 46-65 years; 90% were women; 78% identified as white. Mean BMI was 36.3 kg/m2 (SD 10.3). Mean quality for the ideal primary care visit (9.4 (SD 1.4)) was significantly higher than their last visit (8.0 (SD 2.1)) (p<0.01). Highly important elements were ‘doctor treats me with care and respect’ (96%), ‘doctor really listens’ (95%), and ‘doctor refers to specialists who treat me with care and respect’ (92%).
Conclusion
People living with obesity prefer a primary care visit characterized by respectful treatment and listening. Primary care practices and clinicians should consider incorporating elements from this scenario in their practices.
Practice Implications
Our findings underscore the importance of clinician education related to weight stigma and creating an inclusive environment for all patients.
Metrics
13 Record Views
Details
- Title
- Reimagining Primary Care Visits for People Living with Obesity: A Co-Design and Validation Study
- Creators
- Kristal Lyn Brown (Corresponding Author) - Drexel UniversityGwyn CreadyKatie SchmiedickerMichelle VicariJames ZerviosTheodore K. KyleKimberly Gudzune - Johns Hopkins Medicine
- Publication Details
- Patient education and counseling, v 138, 109190
- Publisher
- Elsevier
- Number of pages
- 5
- Grant note
Acknowledgement Research reported in this publication was supported by the Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health under Number U54CA267735. The content is solely the responsibility authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of tional Institutes of Health.
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Creative Arts Therapies
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:001506569700001
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-105007206338
- Other Identifier
- 991022053432604721
UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
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InCites Highlights
Data related to this publication, from InCites Benchmarking & Analytics tool:
- Web of Science research areas
- Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
- Social Sciences, Interdisciplinary
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Expert Quote
Patients with obesity want respect, not lectures, in primary care visits
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