Back to the Community: Feedback From Community Members and Healthcare Providers on a Formative Childhood Obesity Research Project

Graduate #104
Discipline: Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences
Subcategory: Social Sciences/Psychology/Economics

Addn Araya - University of Michigan
Co-Author(s): Rachel Thornton and Nakiya Showell, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD

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Providers and community advisory boards of varying Johns Hopkins clinics were presented previous research findings to elicit feedback, opinions, and reactions. Community advisory boards were comprised of parents and community members, and provider meetings included pediatricians and nurse practitioners. Feedback was recorded by note taking and reviewed to improve clinical care related to childhood obesity prevention in children. Parent feedback was similar to previous focus group feedback, expressing similar challenges to providing a healthy diet and physical activity engagement, but showed resilience. Providers were not shocked, already knowing the challenges faced by patients, some having stopped asking about challenges all together. Communication between providers and the community need to be improved.

Funder Acknowledgement(s): HCOP - Health Careers Opportunities Program (HRSA Grant).

Faculty Advisor: Rachel Thornton, rjohns21@jhmi.edu

Role: This project is an original idea of my own which worked in collaboration with Dr. Thornton's current research. After having my project approved, I created and submitted an IRB, gathered previous research findings and presented to the community; compiled notes from community board meetings; and, gained permission from clinics to improve quality care based on feedback found through the study.