Views of diverse primary care patients on the roles of healthcare providers and staff and the influence of other variables in their weight management

Summary The prevalence of overweight/obesity is disproportionately higher among racial/ethnic minority and low-income patients. The purpose of this study was to survey racially diverse, low-income patients regarding their experiences with and desires regarding their providers’ involvement in weight management. Adult patients (N = 529), including mostly African American (42.7%), White (44.6%) and low-income (55.5% with incomes <$30 000) patients from 7 Patient-Centered Medical Homes voluntarily completed a brief anonymous survey while waiting to see their providers. Only 19.8% of the patients said that their primary care provider frequently or very frequently talked with them about their weight. Older patients as compared to younger patients, as well as males compared to females, were more likely to have their primary care provider talk to them about their diet and physical activity during the last year. It was also found that 56.9% of the patients were interested in getting help from their doctor to connect with resources for weight management in their community. African American patients, as compared to White patients, were more interested in getting such help. These results suggest that there is a need to establish healthcare policies and training in primary care settings that are designed to ensure that primary care providers routinely talk with all of their patients, including their female and older patients, about their weight and weight management services. Additionally, primary care administrators need to play an increased role in identifying, developing, and advocating for affordable weight management services, particularly in African American and low-income communities.