A nationwide assessment of lifestyle medicine counseling: knowledge, attitudes, and confidence of Israeli senior family medicine residents
Abstract Background Non-communicable diseases are the leading causes of death, largely due to the last century’s often-unhealthy lifestyles. Family medicine (FM) and other physicians can improve patients’ lifestyle behaviors, yet FM residency programs in Israel and other countries do not uniformly d...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2020-09-01
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| Series: | BMC Family Practice |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12875-020-01261-3 |
| _version_ | 1828196916742062080 |
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| author | Lilach Malatskey Yael Bar Zeev Rani Polak Adva Tzuk-Onn Erica Frank |
| author_facet | Lilach Malatskey Yael Bar Zeev Rani Polak Adva Tzuk-Onn Erica Frank |
| author_sort | Lilach Malatskey |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Non-communicable diseases are the leading causes of death, largely due to the last century’s often-unhealthy lifestyles. Family medicine (FM) and other physicians can improve patients’ lifestyle behaviors, yet FM residency programs in Israel and other countries do not uniformly deliver lifestyle medicine (LM) training. The readiness of FM residents to counsel on lifestyle issues is not known. The purpose of this study is to assess knowledge, attitudes, and confidence levels of senior Israeli FM residents regarding LM counseling, and to evaluate the influence of LM training and personal health behaviors on residents’ LM knowledge, attitudes, and confidence. Methods From May to June 2017, we surveyed all senior Israeli FM residents regarding their knowledge, attitudes, confidence, and personal health behaviors. We compared health behaviors, attitudes, and confidence in counselling between: 1) trained residents vs. untrained residents; 2) physically active residents vs. not physically active residents; 3) residents with a BMI < 25 vs. those with a BMI > 25; and 4) residents who eat a Mediterranean diet vs. those who do not. Results A total of 169 senior Israeli FM residents were surveyed, and 143 completed the survey, a response rate of 84.6%. Senior FM residents said they considered LM counseling to be an integral part of their role and an effective tool by which to improve a patient’s health. Yet, their knowledge of LM and their confidence in delivering LM counseling are low. Compared with untrained residents (n = 84), LM-trained residents (n = 55) had higher knowledge scores (30.9% vs. 13.1%, p = 0.016) and were more confident in their ability to impact their patients’ behaviors (53.7% vs. 34.5%, p = 0.004). Residents’ positive personal health behaviors correlated with a higher level of confidence to provide LM counseling. Conclusions FM physicians can play a key role in the management of patients with chronic diseases. Israeli FM residents consider counseling patients about a healthy lifestyle to be an integral part of their work, but do not feel well prepared to do so. Dedicated LM training and resident’s personal health promotion may improve critically important levels of LM counseling and patient outcomes, and this training should therefore become a higher priority. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T10:11:26Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a8156d53c66048eb841f63e4c4275fa6 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-2296 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T10:11:26Z |
| publishDate | 2020-09-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Family Practice |
| spelling | doaj.art-a8156d53c66048eb841f63e4c4275fa62022-12-22T03:37:19ZengBMCBMC Family Practice1471-22962020-09-012111910.1186/s12875-020-01261-3A nationwide assessment of lifestyle medicine counseling: knowledge, attitudes, and confidence of Israeli senior family medicine residentsLilach Malatskey0Yael Bar Zeev1Rani Polak2Adva Tzuk-Onn3Erica Frank4Israeli Society of Lifestyle Medicine, Israeli Association of Family PhysiciansBraun School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Hebrew University of JerusalemDepartment of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Harvard Medical School, Spaulding Rehabilitation HospitalIsraeli Society of Lifestyle Medicine, Israeli Association of Family PhysiciansNextGenU.org, Nanoose Bay, British ColumbiaAbstract Background Non-communicable diseases are the leading causes of death, largely due to the last century’s often-unhealthy lifestyles. Family medicine (FM) and other physicians can improve patients’ lifestyle behaviors, yet FM residency programs in Israel and other countries do not uniformly deliver lifestyle medicine (LM) training. The readiness of FM residents to counsel on lifestyle issues is not known. The purpose of this study is to assess knowledge, attitudes, and confidence levels of senior Israeli FM residents regarding LM counseling, and to evaluate the influence of LM training and personal health behaviors on residents’ LM knowledge, attitudes, and confidence. Methods From May to June 2017, we surveyed all senior Israeli FM residents regarding their knowledge, attitudes, confidence, and personal health behaviors. We compared health behaviors, attitudes, and confidence in counselling between: 1) trained residents vs. untrained residents; 2) physically active residents vs. not physically active residents; 3) residents with a BMI < 25 vs. those with a BMI > 25; and 4) residents who eat a Mediterranean diet vs. those who do not. Results A total of 169 senior Israeli FM residents were surveyed, and 143 completed the survey, a response rate of 84.6%. Senior FM residents said they considered LM counseling to be an integral part of their role and an effective tool by which to improve a patient’s health. Yet, their knowledge of LM and their confidence in delivering LM counseling are low. Compared with untrained residents (n = 84), LM-trained residents (n = 55) had higher knowledge scores (30.9% vs. 13.1%, p = 0.016) and were more confident in their ability to impact their patients’ behaviors (53.7% vs. 34.5%, p = 0.004). Residents’ positive personal health behaviors correlated with a higher level of confidence to provide LM counseling. Conclusions FM physicians can play a key role in the management of patients with chronic diseases. Israeli FM residents consider counseling patients about a healthy lifestyle to be an integral part of their work, but do not feel well prepared to do so. Dedicated LM training and resident’s personal health promotion may improve critically important levels of LM counseling and patient outcomes, and this training should therefore become a higher priority.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12875-020-01261-3Lifestyle medicineFamily medicineResidentsEducational programLifestyle medicine courseHealth behavior |
| spellingShingle | Lilach Malatskey Yael Bar Zeev Rani Polak Adva Tzuk-Onn Erica Frank A nationwide assessment of lifestyle medicine counseling: knowledge, attitudes, and confidence of Israeli senior family medicine residents BMC Family Practice Lifestyle medicine Family medicine Residents Educational program Lifestyle medicine course Health behavior |
| title | A nationwide assessment of lifestyle medicine counseling: knowledge, attitudes, and confidence of Israeli senior family medicine residents |
| title_full | A nationwide assessment of lifestyle medicine counseling: knowledge, attitudes, and confidence of Israeli senior family medicine residents |
| title_fullStr | A nationwide assessment of lifestyle medicine counseling: knowledge, attitudes, and confidence of Israeli senior family medicine residents |
| title_full_unstemmed | A nationwide assessment of lifestyle medicine counseling: knowledge, attitudes, and confidence of Israeli senior family medicine residents |
| title_short | A nationwide assessment of lifestyle medicine counseling: knowledge, attitudes, and confidence of Israeli senior family medicine residents |
| title_sort | nationwide assessment of lifestyle medicine counseling knowledge attitudes and confidence of israeli senior family medicine residents |
| topic | Lifestyle medicine Family medicine Residents Educational program Lifestyle medicine course Health behavior |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12875-020-01261-3 |
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