title: Primary Care Residents' Knowledge, Attitudes, Self-Efficacy, and Perceived Professional Norms Regarding Obesity, Nutrition, and Physical Activity Counseling.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Obesity and being overweight are both significant risk factors for multiple chronic conditions. Primary care physicians are in a position to provide health behavior counseling to the majority of US adults, yet most report insufficient training to deliver effective counseling for obesity.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the degree to which residents training in adult primary care programs are prepared to provide obesity, nutrition, and physical activity (ONPA) counseling.
  
  
  METHODS
  Senior residents (postgraduate year [PGY]-3 and PGY-4) from 25 Ohio family medicine, internal medicine, and obstetrics and gynecology programs were surveyed regarding their knowledge about obesity risks and effective counseling, as well as their attitudes, self-efficacy, and perceived professional norms toward ONPA counseling. We examined summary scores, and used regression analyses to assess associations with resident demographics and training program characteristics.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 219 residents participated (62% response rate). Mean ONPA counseling knowledge score was 50.8 (± 15.6) on a 0 to 100 scale. Specialty was associated with counseling self-efficacy (P < .001) and perceived norms (P = .002). Residents who reported having engaged in an elective rotation emphasizing ONPA counseling had significantly higher self-efficacy and more positive attitudes and professional norms scores.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings suggest that primary care residents' knowledge of ONPA assessment and management strategies has room for improvement. Attitudes, self-efficacy, and perceived norms also are low and vary by training program characteristics. A deeper understanding of curricula associated with improved performance in these domains could inform interventions to enhance residents' ONPA counseling skills and prevent chronic disease.
authors.forename: Samantha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Eileen L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Seeholzer
authors.forename: Heidi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gullett
authors.forename: Brigid
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Jackson
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Antognoli
authors.forename: Susan A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Krejci
authors.forename: Susan A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Flocke
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003376:Counseling / Q000379:methods*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency; D008297:Male; D015596:Nutrition Assessment; D009765:Obesity / Q000517:prevention & control*; D009820:Ohio; D011320:Primary Health Care; D020377:Self Efficacy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires