title: Evaluation of a workshop to improve residents' patient-centred obesity counselling skills.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Primary care physicians are being asked to counsel their patients on obesity and weight management. Few physicians conduct weight loss counselling citing barriers, among them a lack of training and confidence. Our objective was to pilot test the effectiveness of a 3-h interactive obesity-counselling workshop for resident physicians based on motivational interviewing (MI) techniques.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study used a pretest/post-test cross-sectional design. A convenience sample of resident physicians was invited to participate. Participating resident physicians completed a preintervention and postintervention questionnaire to assess their knowledge, beliefs and confidence in obesity counselling. MI techniques taught in the intervention were evaluated by audio recording interviews with a standardised patient (SP) pre intervention and post intervention. Audio recordings were transcribed and coded by two independent coders using a validated assessment tool. Paired t tests were used to assess preintervention and postintervention differences.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eight-six residents attended the workshop. At baseline, the majority (71%) felt that there is not enough time to counsel patients about obesity and only 24% felt that residency trained them to counsel. After the intervention, knowledge and confidence in counselling increased (p<0.001). Among the 55 residents with complete pre-post SP interview data, MI adherent statements increased from a mean of 2.88 to 5.42 while the MI non-adherent statements decreased from 6.73 to 2.33 (p<0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  After a brief workshop to train physicians to counsel on obesity-related behaviours, residents improved their counselling skills and felt more confident on counselling patients. Future studies are needed to assess whether these gains are sustained over time.
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Endocrinology of North Texas, PLLC, Denton, Texas, USA.
authors.forename: Amy M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Burton
authors.affiliation: Center for Educational Accountability, School of Education, University of Alabama at Birmingham, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1665 University Boulevard, Birmingham, Alabama, USA.
authors.forename: Carl M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Brezausek
authors.affiliation: Division of Preventive Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA.
authors.forename: April A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Agne
authors.affiliation: Division of General Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1665 University Boulevard, Birmingham, Alabama, USA.
authors.forename: Shirley L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Hankins
authors.affiliation: Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA.
authors.forename: Lisa L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Willett
authors.affiliation: Division of Preventive Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA.
authors.forename: Andrea L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Cherrington
mesh_terms: D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000517:prevention & control; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D037001:Directive Counseling / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000517:prevention & control*; D018802:Patient-Centered Care; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D010820:Physicians; D010865:Pilot Projects; D015397:Program Evaluation
keywords: EDUCATION & TRAINING (see Medical Education & Training); INTERNAL MEDICINE; MEDICAL EDUCATION & TRAINING; PAEDIATRICS