Students' perception of an interprofessional experience focused on pediatric obesity performed in southern Brazil
Creators: name: Knopfholz, José
name: Da Silva, Ana Luísa Dziedicz
name: Kortmann, Débora Luiza
name: De Melo, Felipe Moreno Vaz
name: Tusato, Isabela Ho
name: Hrycyna, Juliana
name: Corá, Larissa Oldoni
name: Leisner, Maria Eduarda D. Z.
Publisher: name: F1000 Research Limited
Year: 2023

description: <b>INTRODUCTION</b><br> Obesity is a chronic condition characterized by the accumulation of body fat leading to negative health consequences, such as an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, dyslipidemias, and certain cancers. The current obesity epidemic is driven by industrialization and the prevalence of highly caloric and affordable foods, along with sedentary lifestyles due to technological advancements. Pediatric obesity is a complex issue influenced by individual, family, and community factors, requiring evidence-based treatment involving multidisciplinary healthcare teams. Tackling obesity necessitates not only individual and collective efforts but also political and global actions to address economic disparities, food access, and urban planning. Effective interventions, including lifestyle changes and interprofessional collaboration, are crucial for successful obesity management.<br> <br> <b>MATERIALS AND METHODS</b><br> An exploratory cross-sectional study was produced based on the analysis of a focus group associated with the fishbowl technique, which collected perceptions of graduate students in Medicine, Nutrition and Gastronomy that participated in an interprofessional health education project against childhood obesity. The focus group, presentially made,was attended by ten students. The addressed topics were related to the importance of interprofessionality in the experience and to its impacton pediatric obesity. From the recording and transcription of the focus group, the ATLAS.ti software was used to structure the themes portrayed.<br> <br> <b>RESULTS</b><br> Analyzing the students’ perception of the importance of interprofessionality in the experience, the highlighted topics within the focus group were “complementarity” and “learning”, identified in three and five speeches, respectively. For medical students, “complementarity” relates to the holistic treatment and follow-upprovided by the interprofessional care, while “learning” is seen in the exchange of experiences, adding to clinical management and to the quality of the health system. For the nutrition students, the exchange of experiences also gained prominence. Furthermore, in gastronomy, “complementarity” is mainly related to getting better results, while “learning” refers to the understanding of the role of each professionalin care. During the session, the students also effectively identified a range of disciplines and subjects that emerged from the interprofessional experience. These topics garnered frequent mentions throughout the discussion, revealing interconnections that transcend the boundaries of the three distinct areas of knowledge.<br> <br> <b>CONCLUSION</b><br> Verifying the data, it was seen that interprofessionalism brought to the participating students greater learning when working in contact with other areas of knowledge. Moreover, it was noted that the perceptions about the multiprofessional work were similar among the three health areas. These results may suggest that interprofessionalism plays a fundamental and indispensable role in fostering the delivery of ideal healthcare. Embracing its principles can lead to a more unified, knowledgeable, and patient-centered healthcare system, which ultimately benefits both healthcare providers and the individuals they serve. As we move forward, further research and a concerted effort to incorporate interprofessional education into curricula and healthcare policies may yield a brighter and more integrated future for healthcare delivery.