SHBC1280
Y.H.SOH1, Y. XIE1
NHG Polyclinics1
Weight management of patients is often deprioritized in busy primary healthcare clinics. TRIM is a systematic approach to address this issue, with Health Promoters (HP) engaging patients on weight management. This study aims to (i) evaluate the one-year health outcomes of patients who received HP intervention, (ii) establish the impact of HP intervention on weight loss in chronic and pre-disease patients.
A retrospective cohort study was conducted among 4,079 patients age 18–64 years old, with BMI≥23.0kg/m2, who visited Ang Mo Kio Polyclinic from Jun-18 to Feb-20. The cohort group (n=1,849) received HP intervention, while the control group (n=2,230) declined HP intervention. Using data from electronic medical records, the one-year health outcomes (weight, BMI, LDL-C) between the two groups were analyzed using difference-in-difference method. Logistic regression controlling for demographics, chronic disease status and baseline health outcomes was used to derive the likelihood of weight loss between the cohort and control groups.
The cohort group had statistically greater weight loss compared to control group (cohort: -0.66±0.08kg; control: -0.38±0.08kg; p=0.01). Greater BMI (cohort: -0.14±0.06kg/m2; control: -0.07±0.03kg/m2; p=0.29) and LDL-C (cohort: -0.11±0.02mmol/L; control: -0.01±0.02mmol/L; p=0.29) mean differences were observed in the cohort group, they were not statistically significant.
Patients who received HP intervention were more likely to lose weight at one-year mark compared to those who did not (Exp(B)=1.29, p=0.03).
HP intervention seems to be effective in addressing weight management in busy clinics. To enhance intervention effectiveness, qualitative study on lifestyle practices is required to understand the factors contributing to weight loss.
