Background: Adolescents with severe obesity are referred to specialist outpatient weight management services within tertiary healthcare settings for assessment, monitoring of risk and multidisciplinary input. Understanding stakeholder experiences of these services may highlight opportunities to tailor services to more effectively meet adolescents and their families’ needs.
Aim: To explore adolescent, parent and clinician experiences of attending or providing care within a specialist pediatric outpatient weight management clinic in Victoria, Australia and to identify their preferences for care.
Method: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with adolescents (aged 10–17 years), parents and clinicians. Interviews were transcribed, inductively coded and analysed thematically.
Results: Ten in-depth interviews were conducted with adolescents (n=5), parents (n=5) and clinicians (n=4). Six key themes were identified: 1) Antecedents to attending, 2) Value of a family-based approach, 3) Adolescent experience and engagement, 4) Collaborative, multidisciplinary care, 5) Care within a complex and changing environment, 6) Envisaging future care. Adolescents and their families’ had diverse motivations and experiences prior to attending. Adolescent’s interest and engagement with the service varied. The Covid-19 global pandemic highlighted the strengths and challenges of telehealth. When envisaging future care, families’ desire practical, relevant information from experts. Technology, visual or interactive information may promote adolescent engagement.
Discussion: Adolescents and their families’ provided valuable perspectives regarding their care, with families appreciating specialist input, monitoring, education and support. Although services adopted a multidisciplinary approach, additional clinician training and input from Psychology, Social work and Exercise physiology may be advantageous. Strategies that increase the service accessibility, such as addressing long waiting lists, may increase the acceptability of the service.
Conclusion: The specialist service was generally well received by families who accessed the service. Strategies that promote adolescent engagement in their own care and service design may improve the accessibility, acceptability and utility of weight management services for adolescents and families.