Patient characteristics related to intensity of weight reduction care in a university medical clinic.
OBJECTIVE
To identify patient characteristics related to intensity of weight reduction care provided in a primary care practice.


METHODS
Cross-sectional study linking data from a patient survey and data from medical records.


METHODS
Internal medicine housestaff clinic in an urban university hospital.


METHODS
321 outpatients who represented a systematic sample of all outpatients who had visited the clinic over one year.


RESULTS
The patient population was largely black (86%) and female (65%). Most patients (54%) were overweight [body-mass index (BMI) > 85th percentile for the United States by gender]. Intensity of care was defined by a composite scale: points were awarded for actions documented in the medical chart or recalled by the patient. Factors independently associated with a higher intensity of care among the 161 overweight patients were: BMI [odds ratio (OR) = 1.13 per kg/m2; 95% confidence interval (95% CI) = 1.04, 122; p = 0.002], the patient's self-perception of being overweight (OR = 5.37; 95% CI = 1.99, 14.46; p = 0.001), and age of 64 years or younger (OR = 2.48; 95% CI = 1.12, 5.48; p = 0.02). Race, gender, and presence of hypertension or hypercholesterolemia were not associated with greater intensity of care.


CONCLUSIONS
Patients with hypertension and hypercholesterolemia may be receiving suboptimal weight reduction care. Heightened awareness of being overweight may enhance the provision of weight reduction care. Prospective studies are required to confirm these findings.
Brancati
F L
FL
Welch Center for Prevention, Epidemiology, and Clinical Research, Johns Hopkins Health Institutions, Baltimore, MD 21205.
Ford
D E
DE
Appel
L J
LJ
Klag
M J
MJ
Whelton
P K
PK
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015142:Baltimore; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006746:Hospital Bed Capacity, 500 and over; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia; D006973:Hypertension; D007388:Internal Medicine; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010044:Outpatient Clinics, Hospital; D011320:Primary Health Care; D014505:Urban Population; D015431:Weight Loss; D014892:Weight Perception