Acceptability of Hospital-Based Pediatric Weight Management Services among Patients and Families: A Narrative Synthesis

Abstract

High rates of attrition from pediatric weight management services are well documented in the literature; however, studies reporting on acceptability of "real-world" services have not previously been reviewed. This narrative synthesis aimed to summarize quantitative and qualitative research reporting on satisfaction of families who attended a secondary or tertiary pediatric weight management service. Electronic databases were searched for studies of family and/or patient satisfaction with hospital-based pediatric weight management services. Included articles were scored on their methodological quality. Searches returned 4509 articles of which 17 were eligible. Education, practical strategies to assist behavior change and the approach of staff were reported as the most valued service aspects. Practical, organizational, and service content issues were reported as the primary reasons for poor engagement or discontinuation of treatment. The majority of recommendations for service improvement related to service content, with the following subthemes: program content, delivery of the weight management intervention, individualized treatment, and treatment expectations. Potential strategies for reducing attrition and improving consumer satisfaction include assessment of families' readiness to change at the outset of treatment and implementation of treatment non-negotiables. Development of a standardized measure of patient satisfaction for use in pediatric weight management service development, evaluation, and comparison is recommended.

Keywords: adolescent; child; patient satisfaction; pediatric obesity.