The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

Abstract #49458

Celeste A. Lemay, RN, BSN¹, Suzanne Cashman, ScD², Judith Savageau, MPH³, Rebecca Kinney, MPH⁴, Patricia A. Reidy, RNC, FNP⁵, Patricia A. Reidy, RNC, FNP⁶, and Patricia A. Reidy, RNC, FNP⁶. (1) Family Medicine and Community Health, University of Massachusetts Medical School - Worcester, 55 Lake Avenue North, Worcester, MA 01655, 508-856-6470, celeste.lemay@umassmed.edu, (2) Family Medicine and Community Health, University of Massachusetts Medical School, 55 Lake Ave North, Worcester, MA 01655, (3) Family Medicine and Community Health, University of Massachusetts - Worcester, 55 Lake Avenue North, Worcester, MA 01655, (4) Office of Community Programs, University of Massachusetts Medical School, 55 Lake Avenue North, Worcester, MA 01655, (5) Family Health and Social Service Center, 26 Queen Street, Worcester, MA 01610, (6) Family Health abd Social Service Center, 26 Queen Street, Worcester, MA 01610

Currently, more than half of all U.S. adults are considered overweight, defined as having a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 25 or more. Identified by the Surgeon General as one of the top ten public health concerns, overweight/obesity may severely impair individual’s quality of life while increasing future health care costs. The importance of identifying/treating overweight/obese patients has been highlighted with the development of evidence based clinical guidelines. Despite these developments, health care providers continue to experience barriers in diagnosing patients as overweight or obese. This sub-study evaluates the effectiveness of posting BMI charts in patient care rooms on one of three health care teams as an intervention at a federally funded community health care center. BMI computations based on baseline heights and weights collected from 465 adult patient charts revealed a significant under-diagnosis of obesity (p=.036). Furthermore, BMI’s never appeared in patient’s charts. Posting BMI tables functioned as a reminder to providers, as well as an inexpensive strategy to initiate provider/patient dialogue. Data were abstracted from medical records of the 224 (of the original 465) patients who were seen at the health center in the 8 month period following placement of BMI charts in exam rooms. The intervention team had BMI’s recorded for 10% of their patients, an increase from none at baseline. The comparison teams continued to omit BMI calculations in all patient charts. Additional analyses related to documentation of patient’s height, weight, and obesity diagnosis are reported by intervention versus comparison teams.

Learning Objectives:

• 3. To discuss the importance of Body Mass Index (BMI) calculation in the delivery of optimal primary health care.
  6. To evaluate the effectiveness of BMI charts as a clinical intervention in providing preventive care to an underserved population.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.