Journal of Pediatric Care

What is the experience of families and Healthcare Professionals of having an obesity diagnosis discussion in Kidz First Emergency Department?

14^TH ASIA PACIFIC PEDIATRICS CONGRESS
July 20, 2021 Webinar

Joanna Thomson

Senior Lecturer, University of Auckland, New Zealand
Kidz First Emergency Department, Middlemore Hospital and the University of Auckland

ScientificTracks Abstracts: J Pediatr Care

Abstract

We set out to explore the experiences of families and Healthcare Professionals (HCP) when having an obesity diagnosis discussion (ODD) in Kidz First Emergency Department (KFED). International literature has demonstrated consistently that HCPs are unwilling to conduct ODDs due to multiple reasons which have been mirrored by parental views on having an ODD. Opportunistic ODDs within a childrens emergency department have not been researched from either an HCP or parents view. A mixed method research design comprising 8 parent interviews, HCP’s survey and a focus group where 9 HCPs attended was conducted. Convenience sampling was used to recruit eight parents who had had an ODD at KFED in the previous 2-3 weeks. The survey link, which included an invite to the focus group, was emailed to all doctors and nurses working within KFED during September 2018 to January 2019. This research was conducted at one location, Kidz First Emergency Department. The children’s emergency department based at Middlemore Hospital, within Counties Manukau District Health Board. A summary of the fi ndings were that most parents were unaware that their child was categorised as obese. Once identifi ed, all parents wanted to have the healthy living discussion with the HCP. Several factors affected parental engagement in the ODD and the these aligned with HCP’s experiences. All parents were keen to make some of the suggested lifestyle changes, yet there were several factors which prevented implementation, including grandparental behaviour and parental time pressure. The overall conclusion was that HCPs working within KFED should try to prioritise ODDs with families when parental engagement criteria are met.

Biography

Jo Thomson began her paediatric nursing career 20 years ago in England, before moving to New Zealand in 2003. She has worked in a variety of hospitals in Auckland and settled for the last 10 years at Kidz First Childrens’ Emergency Department at Middlemore Hospital (CMDHB). Jo has completed her Research Masters in Nursing from the University of Auckland in 2019. She is passionate about health promotion and in particular health inequalities due to childhood obesity in the South Auckland children. She is a wife and mother of two adolsecent boys who loves to combine exercise with coffee and socialising. (100 words).