222 - Building Capacity for Pediatric Obesity Care: A Needs-Informed Virtual Learning Collaborative in South Carolina

Publication Number: 2214.222

Christine B. san Giovanni, Medical University of South Carolina College of Medicine, Mount Pleasant, SC, United States; Erin Brackbill, University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville, Greenville, SC, United States; J. Blakely Amati, Prisma Health/University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville, Greenville, SC, United States; Kathleen C. Head, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States

Background: The South Carolina American Academy of Pediatrics (SCAAP) launched a healthy lifestyles subcommittee in 2023 to address South Carolina’s (SC) high rates of childhood obesity.

Objective: The committee created and implemented a statewide virtual learning collaborative (LC) to address knowledge gaps around healthy lifestyle and metabolic disease prevention and treatment.

Design/Methods: Pediatric experts in lifestyle medicine and obesity developed a survey to assess the needs of Pediatric Health Care Providers (PHCPs) throughout SC in helping their patients develop healthy lifestyles and manage obesity. Using the survey data to inform key topics, the Pediatric Healthy Lifestyles and Metabolic Syndrome LC was developed in partnership with the Medical University of South Carolina’s Boeing Center for Children’s Wellness. The LC hosted a webinar every 3 months and invited all SC PHCPs to participate and earn CME. Every webinar included tools and knowledge shared by an expert and information from a community partner with a healthy lifestyle related mission. Webinars covered topics such as discussing healthy behavior changes while avoiding stigma, evaluating and treating pediatric obesity, and supporting patients with diabetes and hypertension.

Results: Forty-seven PHCPs completed the survey which informed the topics in the LC. Fifty-seven percent were affiliated with a hospital; 35% were not. Eighty-two percent counseled patients on healthy lifestyles at well visits or follow-up visits, but 33% of providers were not using evidence-based tools for counseling. PHCPs affiliated with a hospital were more likely to use tools when counseling than those not affiliated with a hospital (85% vs. 45%, P=0.005). PHCPs reported typically counseling on various healthy lifestyle topics (Table 1) and routinely screening for co-morbidities of obesity (Table 2). Less than half of PHCPs screen for co-morbidities of obesity. Ten percent said they had started prescribing anti-obesity medication, and 76% were interested in learning more about prescribing. Every county in SC was represented in the LC by 84 PHCPs, and 62% of PHCPs surveyed during webinars reported applying information learned in their practice.

Conclusion(s): The SC Pediatric Healthy Lifestyles and Metabolic Syndrome LC addressed educational gaps in assisting patients with healthy behavior changes, managing obesity and its co-morbidities, and providing valuable community resources. Participants reported applying new information in practice, and participants will continue to be surveyed on improvement in knowledge and use of evidence-based tools.

Table 1: Pediatric Health Care Providers Who Routinely Counsel Patients on Lifestyle Medicine Topics
Table 1 abstractfinal.pdf

Table 2: Pediatric Health Care Providers Who Screen for Various Co-morbidities of Obesity
Table 2 abstractfinal3.pdf