(CSEMP012) OBESITY IS A CHRONIC DISEASE! A NURSE PRACTITIONER'S LOOK AT RAISING AWARENESS AND ADDRESSING SELF-EFFICACY IN OBESITY SELF-MANAGEMENT IN RURAL NEW BRUNSWICK

Background: The Canadian health care system is drowning in efforts to provide adequate services. One in three Canadians are considered overweight or obese. It is essential to recognize obesity as a chronic disease as it can be a leading precursor to subsequent multicomplex conditions including diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Attributing to this epidemic is not recognizing the importance for discussions and/or offering obesity structured programs in primary care settings. The purpose of this quality improvement project was to increase awareness that obesity is a chronic condition and to raise one’s self-efficacy in obesity self-management of healthy lifestyles to improve in primary care outcomes.

METHODS AND RESULTS: In Southern New Brunswick Canada, a NP led a 12 week obesity self-management program. Staff at the rural community health center, trained in Obesity Canada's 5AsT framework, recruited overweight or obese participants to participate in an obesity self-management online program using the evidence-based Heart and Stroke Foundation toolkit ‘Healthy Weight Action Plan' and were followed weekly by telephone/email support. Each weekly session focused on increasing one’s self-efficacy to motivate participants towards long-term self-management of lifestyle changes. A paired t test showed a significant improvement in the pre and post intervention scores of the General Self-Efficacy scale (p≤0.006), the Eating Self-Efficacy Brief scale (p≤0.001), the Practices of the Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices scale (p≤0.003), weight (p0≤.001), body mass index (p≤0.001) and waist circumferences (p0≤.001). The feedback from staff and participants were positive with 100% of the participants stating the program was beneficial for motivating lifestyle changes.

Conclusion: Directing focus towards increasing one’s self-efficacy through structured, self-management practices, along with telephone support can improve health outcomes, effectively help address the obesity epidemic and its health care related complications. Nurse practitioners are ideal professionals to link evidence-based practices to clinical settings.