title: Veterans Health Administration's MOVE! Weight Management Program: Primary Care Clinicians' Perceptions of Program Implementation.
abstract: The Veterans Health Administration's MOVE! Program is the largest health care-delivered weight loss intervention in the United States. As a referring clinician's perceptions and knowledge of health programs may impact implementation, examining perceptions of MOVE! may inform improvements to this and other programs. This study investigated primary care clinician perceptions of MOVE! (n = 754, 50% nurses). Perceived effectiveness ratings were highest for groups with 11 to 25 group members (p < 0.01) and for a combined lecture and support group format (p = 0.026), though session length and several other aspects of delivery were not associated with perceptions of effectiveness. MOVE! staff also rated the program as more effective than did other clinicians (p < 0.01). Many respondents lacked knowledge about program specifics, especially those not involved with MOVE! delivery (vs. those directly involved; p < 0.01). These findings indicate that variety in group size and format is related to perceptions of MOVE! effectiveness. Also, clinicians not involved with MOVE! may lack knowledge about the program and underestimate its effectiveness, which could negatively affect referral likelihood or enthusiasm expressed to referred patients. Findings highlight opportunities for clarifying perceptions of a weight control program among clinicians in a large health care system.
authors.affiliation: Center for Integrated Healthcare, Syracuse VA Medical Center, 800 Irving Avenue, Syracuse, NY 13210.
authors.forename: Danielle
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Arigo
authors.affiliation: Center for Integrated Healthcare, Syracuse VA Medical Center, 800 Irving Avenue, Syracuse, NY 13210.
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Funderburk
authors.affiliation: University of Colorado at Denver, Campus Box 173, PO Box 173364, Denver, CO 80217-3364.
authors.forename: Stephanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hooker
authors.affiliation: Center for Integrated Healthcare, Syracuse VA Medical Center, 800 Irving Avenue, Syracuse, NY 13210.
authors.forename: Margaret
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dundon
authors.affiliation: Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center and Baylor College of Medicine, 2002 Holcombe Boulevard (223), Houston, Texas 77030.
authors.forename: Gina
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Evans-Hudnall
authors.affiliation: South Central VA MIRECC, 2200 Fort Roots Drive, 16MIR, North Little Rock, AR 72114-1706.
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dubbert
authors.affiliation: Stratton VA Medical Center, 113 Holland Ave. Albany, NY 12208.
authors.forename: Eva-Maria
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Dickinson
authors.affiliation: Jesse Brown VA Medical Center (118), 820 S. Damen, Chicago, IL 60612.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Catanese
authors.affiliation: Jesse Brown VA Medical Center (118), 820 S. Damen, Chicago, IL 60612.
authors.forename: Jenny
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: O'Donohue
mesh_terms: D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D010465:Perception; D010820:Physicians / Q000523:psychology* / Q000592:standards; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States; D014493:United States Department of Veterans Affairs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014728:Veterans; D058014:Veterans Health; D015431:Weight Loss / Q000502:physiology*