Health Care Providers\u27 Knowledge of Childhood Obesity Within the Hispanic Community

Background: Recent studies indicate a rise in the prevalence of obesity in children of various age groups. Obesity was officially recognized as a disease by the American Medical Association (AMA) in June 2013. It has been acknowledged as a progressive epidemic public health crisis in the United States for the past 20 years. This is a health care concern that needs examination and the development of new and more effective prevention and treatment modalities for obesity in children. Environmental, hereditary, behavioral, and socioeconomic factors play a significant role in the prevalence of obesity (Rooney, Mathiason, & Schauberger, 2011). Childhood obesity can generate serious emotional and physical consequences, thereby compromising the quality of life among children. Purpose: The purpose of this capstone project was to assess health care providers’ cultural competency by assessing the management of Hispanic parents with children diagnosed with obesity. A culturally diverse survey was developed to evaluate pediatric health care providers’ daily practice and management of Hispanic parents of children with obesity. Theoretical Framework: Madeleine Leininger’s Theory of Culture Care Diversity and Universality and the Health Belief Model constitute the theoretical framework of this capstone project. Methods: The research project gained support from the private pediatric primary care office for the completion of a questionnaire to assess health care providers’ knowledge of childhood obesity. Results: The data analysis revealed that the health care providers surveyed had at times omitted the evaluation of parameters that were vital in managing the health care of obese or overweight children. Certain parameters, such as weight, were always considered. The data analysis revealed gaps in the care of Hispanic pediatric overweight or obese patients and Hispanic caregivers. As a result of the findings, a better understanding of the importance of providing culturally competent health care was gained. Conclusion: This survey increased health care providers’ awareness of the importance of taking culture into consideration. It identified the gaps, and measures are now being evaluated to improve the quality of care provided to these children