OBSERVE
HCP Perspectives
OBSERVE is a study evaluating the attitudes of key stakeholders in the US about obesity and its effective therapy.
Qualitative Phone Interview Results: HCP Perspective1
HCP and Patient Perceptions Toward Obesity and its Treatment: Obesity as a Disease
*Respondents ranked their level of agreement from “0: completely disagree” to “10: completely agree.”
- Prioritizing obesity treatment less than other conditions that they perceived as being easier to treat
- Being unaware of current treatment guidelines for obesity
- Referring patients with obesity to other specialists, clinics, or programs due to perceived lack of counseling resources for obesity within their practice
The majority of surveyed HCPs did not view AOM use alone as a durable solution and indicated that lifestyle changes were required for long-term maintenance of weight loss.
Key areas of agreement between patients and HCPs:
Perceptions of weight loss- AOMs can be a useful short-term “kickstart”
- Weight management programs can help
- AOMs are not a durable solution
Key areas of disagreement between patients and HCPs:
Perceptions of obesity- HCPs see obesity as a long-term disease
- People with obesity see it as a self-modifiable condition
Quantitative Web-Based Survey Results: HCP Perspective2
When ranking agreement, the provided options were “strongly agree,” “agree,” “neutral,” “disagree,” and “strongly disagree.” For the following data:
- “Agree” includes those who selected “strongly agree” or “agree”
- “Disagree” includes those who selected “strongly disagree” or “disagree”
When ranking concern, the provided options were “very concerned,” “quite a bit concerned,” “moderately concerned,” “a little concerned,” and “not at all concerned.” For the following data:
- “Concerned” includes those who selected “very concerned” or “quite a bit concerned”
HCPs were given statements regarding perceptions of obesity and were asked to provide their level of agreement or disagreement with each one.2
HCPs disagreed with:
- AOMs are a short-term fix without lasting benefits (26.6%)
- The safety history of prior AOMs makes me cautious to consider them (26.0%)
- I need more long-term safety data regarding AOMs for them to become a part of my treatment repertoire (23.0%)
HCPs agreed with:
- I am looking forward to new AOM options being available on the market (83.9%)
- Sustained weight loss will still require a lifestyle change (eg, diet, exercise) even when taking an AOM (80.8%)
- There is a need for more effective AOM options than those currently available, including new-generation AOMs (75.2%)
Factors that reduce HCP willingness to recommend a hypothetical new-generation AOM2
- Patient is elderly (34.4%)
- Involves daily at-home injections (40.5%)
- Involves weekly at-home injections (23.9%)
Factors that increase HCP willingness to recommend a hypothetical new-generation AOM2
- Worked for other patients (87.1%)
- Costs covered by insurance (85.7%)
- Helps address other illnesses associated with obesity (83.7%)
Summary
The OBSERVE study determined that HCPs perceive obesity as a disease with significant impact on long-term health.1 HCPs did not see AOMs as a durable weight loss solution and expressed concerns regarding their cost and potential side effects.1,2 However, the surveyed HCPs were interested in combining AOMs with lifestyle modification to “kickstart” weight loss.2 HCPs expressed interest in upcoming AOMs, especially those that can treat multiple conditions.2 Please refer to the cited references for complete results.
For more information about the HCP perspectives identified in the OBSERVE study, check out the video below.
References
- Ard JD, Kaplan LM, Dunn JP, et al. Pharmacotherapy use in obesity care: divergence among health care providers and persons with obesity. Poster presented at ObesityWeek; November 1, 2021; virtual meeting.
- Kahan S, Kumar RB, Ahmad NN, et al. Healthcare providers’ perceptions of anti-obesity medications: results from the OBSERVE study. Poster presented at American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE) 32nd Annual Meeting; May 6, 2022; Seattle, WA.
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