The Effect of an Education Module to Reduce Weight Bias Among Healthcare Professionals in a Private Hospital Setting

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Obese, Stigma
• Interventions: Other: An online 15-minute educational module

• Registration Number: NCT04741113
• Lead Sponsor: Assuta Medical Center

Brief Summary

Although scientific bodies have recognized obesity as a disease, obese people are often stigmatized, facing discrimination, and accusations that they are responsible to their condition due to their lack of willpower by healthcare professionals. However, experimental research to reduce weight bias among healthcare professionals is lacking, and published studies to date are methodologically flawed, including lack of randomization, lack of control group and small sample size.

The study is designed to evaluate the effect of a comprehensive online education module on knowledge about obesity and weight bias in a convenience sample in a private hospital setting.

This is an interventional study conducted among all Assuta Medical Centers healthcare employees including physicians, bariatric surgeons, nurses, dietitians, social workers, physiotherapists, pharmacists, imaging department technicians, laboratory workers, patient services assistants and medical secretariats. Participants who will confirm their consent to participate in the study, will be randomized into two arms: intervention vs. control (with no intervention). The study intervention will include an online 15-minute educational module which will be based on relevant literature and expert opinion and will include four sections: a) Knowledge about obesity; b) Weight bias definition and impact; c) Strategies to reduce weight bias; d) A short quiz. At baseline, one week and one-month post intervention, both groups will respond to an anonymous on-line survey on knowledge about obesity and weight stigma. Moreover, data on demographic parameters of study participants will be collected.

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2021-01-06
• Study First Submitted: 2021-01-11
• Study First Submitted QC: 2021-02-03
• Study First Posted: 2021-02-05
• Status Verified: 2021-06
• Primary Completion: 2021-06-01
• Study Completion: 2021-06-01
• Last Update Submitted: 2021-06-02
• Last Update Posted: 2021-06-07

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 506

Inclusion Criteria

• All Assuta Medical Centers healthcare employees will be recruited to the study

Exclusion Criteria

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Intervention group -educational module	An online 15-minute educational module	The study intervention will include an online 15-minute educational module with four sections: a) Knowledge about obesity; b) Weight bias definition and impact; c) Strategies to reduce weight bias; d) A short quiz. The module will be based on relevant literature and expert opinion. The module will be sent to participants via secured link.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Weight stigma	Change from Baseline at 1 month post intervantion	Questionnaires on weight stigma

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Knowledge about obesity	Change from Baseline at 1 month post intervantion	Questionnaire on knowledge about obesity

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Assuta Medical Center; 🇮🇱 Tel Aviv, Israel