TY - JOUR ID - TI - Knowledge, Attitude and Practice Regarding Obesity Management among Family and Non Family Physicians Working in Primary Health Care Centers in Baghdad AU - Huda Adnan Habib PY - 2012 VL - 11 IS - 1 SP - 6 EP - 12 JO - Iraqi Postgraduate Medical Journal المجلة العراقية للاختصاصات الطبية SN - 83601608 98932708 AB - ABSTRACT:BACKGROUND:The rising level of obesity has been called the most urgent challenge to public health for the 21stcentury. While many social institutions should be involved in addressing this problem, familyphysicians have an important role in identifying and managing obesity.OBJECTIVE:To assess and compare the knowledge , attitudes and practice regarding obesity management amongfamily and non family physicians working in primary health care centers.Methodology :A cross-sectional survey has recruited a randomly selected sample of primary health care physiciansworking in primary health care centers in Baghdad in 2010. A structured self-administeredquestionnaire was used to collect data from 232 physicians. These include family medicine boardcertified and other non-family medicine certified physicians. The questionnaire had four main parts:personal data, knowledge, attitude and practice.RESULTS:The majority of the respondents depend on the waist circumference to diagnose obesity with 100%among the family physicians and (74.2%) among non-family physicians. The majority of therespondents think that obesity is a major health problem in Iraq with 49 (96.08%) among the familyphysicians and132 (72.93%) among non family physicians. About (84.3%, 72.5% and 41.2%) offamily physicians agreed to prescribe Weight reduction medication when BMI >30, Patient not ondiet and on patient request respectively. Almost all family physicians (92.1%) agreed that is it betterto have a training course in obesity management compared to 49.46% among non- familyphysicians.CONCLUSION:Both the family and nonfamily physicians working in the primary health centers need to improvetheir knowledge and skills regarding obesity management

ER -