Application of "Concept Mapping" in obese subjects: a pilot study in normo and underreporters.
BACKGROUND
One important step in nutritional education consists in identifying the patient prior knowledge in order to better educate him. The objectives of this pilot study, on twelve obese patients (6 underreporting patients - UR - and 6 normoreporting patients - NR) were to point out advantages and limits of a method: "concept mapping", a graphic representation of the nature and organization of knowledge, and to show eventual cognitive differences between the two groups of patients.


METHODS
Concept maps were drawed during interviews and analysed, considering the concepts, the links between them, their regrouping in knowledge fields. Conceps maps of UR and NR patients were compared.


RESULTS
Our results confirm the advantages of concept mapping as the mean to explore the cognitive representation of patients. Some differences between UR and NR patients were readable on the maps: UR patients are more sensitive to the difficulties of the diet than the NR patients. UR patients tend to express more frequently their feelings or personal experiences, and to be more easily invaded by their feelings (more numerous links of personal expressions at UR patients).


CONCLUSIONS
Concept mapping brings new information on knowledge of obese patients. They appear important to better know the cognitive representations of underreporting patients. With such information, it would be easier for healthcare providers to adapt educational programs to the patients' understanding, taking into account their misconceptions, errors and lacks of learning.
França
S
S
Laboratoire de Pédagogie de la Santé, EA 3412, Université Paris XIII, Bobigny, France.
Marchand
C
C
Craplet
C
C
Basdevant
A
A
d'Ivernois
J F
JF
D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003210:Concept Formation; D004038:Diet, Reducing; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D008960:Models, Psychological; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D010297:Paris; D010865:Pilot Projects; D015430:Weight Gain