title: Tools and resources for preventing childhood obesity in primary care: A method of evaluation and preliminary assessment.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To pilot-test a mixed methods approach to evaluate tools and resources (TRs) that healthcare providers (HCPs) use for preventing childhood obesity in primary care, and report a preliminary descriptive assessment of commonly-used TRs.
  
  
  METHODS
  This mixed methods study included individual, semi-structured interviews with purposefully-sampled HCPs in Alberta, Canada; interviews were digitally recorded and analyzed thematically (phase I). Two independent reviewers used three assessment checklists to evaluate commonly-used TRs (phase II). HCPs provided feedback on our coding scheme and checklist data (phase III).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Three themes described how HCPs (n=19) used TRs: purpose of use (e.g., clinical support), logistical factors (e.g., accessibility), and decision to use (e.g., suitability). The latter theme overlapped with constructs of suitability on the checklists. Overall, participants used 15 TRs, most of which scored 'average' on the checklists.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Phases I and II provided unique insights on the evaluation of TRs used for preventing childhood obesity. Criteria on the checklists overlapped with HCPs' perceptions of TR suitability, but did not reflect logistical factors that influenced their use of TRs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Developers of TRs should collaborate with HCPs to ensure that subjective and objective criteria are used to optimize TR suitability in the primary care setting.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.
authors.forename: Jillian L S
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Avis
authors.affiliation: Department of Agricultural, Food & Nutrition Science, Faculty of Agricultural, Life & Environmental Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Komarnicki
authors.affiliation: Department of Agricultural, Food & Nutrition Science, Faculty of Agricultural, Life & Environmental Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada; School of Public Health, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.
authors.forename: Anna P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Farmer
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Physical Education & Recreation, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.
authors.forename: Nicholas L
authors.initials: NL
authors.lastname: Holt
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.
authors.forename: Arnaldo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Perez
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.
authors.forename: Nicholas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Spence
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada; Department of Agricultural, Food & Nutrition Science, Faculty of Agricultural, Life & Environmental Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada; Pediatric Centre for Weight and Health, Stollery Children's Hospital, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada. Electronic address: gdball@ualberta.ca.
authors.forename: Geoff D C
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Ball
mesh_terms: D000416:Alberta; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002170:Canada; D057189:Checklist; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006295:Health Resources; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D063766:Pediatric Obesity / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010372:Pediatrics / Q000379:methods*; D058007:Physicians, Primary Care; D011320:Primary Health Care; D036301:Qualitative Research
keywords: Children; Healthcare providers; Lifestyle; Pediatric obesity; Prevention; Primary care; Resources; Tools