Weight Management Interactions in a Virtual Clinical Environment
Condition: Healthy Volunteers; Body Weight
MeSH terms: Body Weight
Study type: Observational

Summary: 
      This study is part of an effort to learn about interactions between doctors and patients. We
      aim to understand how women feel about techniques that doctors use to talk with patients
      about their weight. We are studying women s reactions to these techniques using a virtual
      reality version of a doctor s office to create as realistic a model of a doctor s visit as
      possible. This can help us better understand what happens during real doctor s visits.

      Women between the ages of 20 and 50 who are currently overweight may be eligible for this
      study. Participants will be recruited from the Washington D.C. area. This is not a weight
      treatment study.

      Participants undergo the following procedures:

        -  Complete an online questionnaire about themselves, their experiences, and their thoughts
           about their weight

        -  Participate in activities in a virtual reality environment in which they interact with a
           virtual doctor in a virtual clinical scenario. For this experiment, participants wear a
           head-mounted display that allows them to see the virtual world images.

        -  Fill out a questionnaire after completing the virtual reality activities. This
           questionnaire includes information on the participants' virtual reality experience, the
           information provided in the experience, and additional questions about themselves and
           their thoughts.
    

Detailed description: 
      The primary goal of this research project is to build an evidence base related to primary
      care encounters that include discussions about a patient s body weight. We are particularly
      interested in how encounters impact patients health-related and weight-related attitudes and
      beliefs. Furthermore, this project aims to determine how a physician s approach to the health
      care encounter impacts its outcome.

      The current study is a controlled experiment in which participants will be participate in a
      weight counseling encounter with a virtual reality-based doctor. The virtual doctor will
      present weight etiology information. Participants will fill out a self-report questionnaire
      online, prior to this encounter. They will then come in to the Immersive Virtual Environment
      Testing Area in the NIH Clinical Center for a visit. During this visit, they will engage in
      the interaction with the virtual doctor and then fill out a post-test questionnaire.
      Participants in the main trial will include approximately 222 healthy adult females between
      20-50 years of age who have a BMI of greater than or equal to 25 and are dissatisfied with
      their current weight.
    

Observational model: Other
Time perspective: Cross-Sectional
Sampling method: Non-Probability Sample
Study population: 
        Overweight, adult women will participate in a weight counseling encounter with a virtual
        reality-based doctor
      
Keywords: Body Weight; Healthy Volunteer; Natural History