title: Obese subjects involvement in a population-based survey: the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) to avoid stigmatization.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Epidemiological and health promotion studies in obese subjects are hampered by the difficulty of obtaining a representative sample from the community. The enrollment process can be at high risk of stigmatization. The purpose of this study is to describe an original information and communication technologies (ICT) strategy to get around these ethical and methodological difficulties.
  
  
  METHODS
  A multimedia campaign of communication was organized on the topic of overweight and quality of life (QoL). A specific website was developed to collect via a questionnaire QoL data as well as information related to patient's needs and health perception from participants. To promote the website, multiple information supports were largely diffused. Primary care professionals were solicited to enhance the enrollment. The campaign started with a press conference covered by the main television channels.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The ICT-based approach allowed the participation of 4,155 subjects homogeneously distributed with respect to body mass index, age, gender and socioeconomic level. A high percentage of subjects fully completed the web-based questionnaire. The press conference allowed reaching a quarter of the total sample within 5 days.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Overweight remains a major public health problem. This survey showed that a holistic approach supported by ICT is a promising way to recruit obese subjects without stigmatizing the disorder.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, CHU, University of Liege, 4000, Liège, Belgium, benoit.petre@ulg.ac.be.
authors.forename: Benoit
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Pétré
authors.forename: Anne-Françoise
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Donneau
authors.forename: Céline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Crutze
authors.forename: Eddy
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Husson
authors.forename: André
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Scheen
authors.forename: Michèle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Guillaume
mesh_terms: D015992:Body Mass Index; D003142:Communication; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000523:psychology*; D018579:Patient Selection; D011320:Primary Health Care; D011634:Public Health / Q000379:methods*; D011788:Quality of Life; D013240:Stereotyping; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires