Understanding Attrition in Pediatric Weight Management Care

• Author / Creator

  Dhaliwal, Jasmine

• There is limited information on families’ decisions regarding their (dis)continuation of weight management care. This thesis includes two complementary studies that examined this issue. First, an integrative review was performed to characterize predictors of and reasons for attrition in pediatric weight management. Analyses revealed that insurance type was a consistent predictor of attrition, whereas children’s sex and baseline weight status were not. The most commonly reported reasons for attrition were physical barriers and programs failing to meet families’ needs, wants, or expectations. Second, a qualitative study was conducted with families to explore factors that influenced their attrition from pediatric weight management. Three main categories relating to attrition were identified: family, logistical, and health services factors. Together, this research demonstrated that attrition is a highly prevalent issue that needs to be addressed at multiple levels to optimize health services delivery for managing pediatric obesity.

• Subjects / Keywords

  • Case study
  • Qualitative
  • Weight management
  • Pediatrics
  • Integrative review
  • Drop out
  • Attrition
  • Clinic

• Graduation date

  Fall 2012

• Type of Item

  Thesis

• Degree

  Master of Science

• DOI

  https://doi.org/10.7939/R3043C

• License

  This thesis is made available by the University of Alberta Libraries with permission of the copyright owner solely for non-commercial purposes. This thesis, or any portion thereof, may not otherwise be copied or reproduced without the written consent of the copyright owner, except to the extent permitted by Canadian copyright law.