Supporting the self-management of obesity: The role of

information and communication technology

Presentation at SIHI conference

University of Portsmouth, September 18, 2009

Research and policy context

Policy Research Programme at DH:The role of technology in supporting chronic

disease management, self care and healthy living

ICT as ‘a key technology in enabling the engagement of the public and patients in their own care’

The Net.Weight project• Investigating the potential for increased,

innovative and effective uses of ICTs in the self-management of obesity (weight management)

• Local focus – Brighton & Hove; action-oriented approach; strong input from local partners in health and HI fields

• What information and support do people know about, find accessible, useable and useful for weight management?

• How does this fit with the resources that are provided by the local health and HI providers?

• What role do ICTs currently have and what further applications can be identified in this context?

Provider mapping• Mapping local information

providers• PCT and city council’s Active

for Life:• Relevant info but hard to find

• Prototype web-based directory of local information providers + resources relating to weight management

• A tool for the workshops – engaging people in an evaluation of information provided

• Web 2.0 features – discussion groups; blogs; creating, commenting and rating content

User mapping• Survey–overweight people in B&H actively

managing weight;distribution throughout community, 400 responses Older (majority over 45) female (83%)

respondents 40% with one or more chronic condition Most think being o/weight has negative

impact on their lives People self-care rather than going to

doctor/practice nurse Poor experiences with HPs in past but

still want them to care High internet access (80%) Most report confidence in information

skills Information sources diverse (slimming

groups, magazines, food labelling) Very little use of online weight loss

programmes Very little use of online support for WM Lack of awareness of local sources of

information and support for WM

Participatory learning workshops• Input from provider mapping,

survey, focus groups and community planning meeting

• Survey respondents were asked to participate in learning workshops – and to help design them

• Interests and needs – Support + advice for people

with specific health needs Information about local

activities – as opposed to general HL information

Information from trustworthy, non-commercial sources

Improved food labelling Local support networks Information for men

Net.weight Community

39 participants, 3 groups, series of 4 workshops per group:1.Information guided tour2.Sharing and community3.In our own words4.Making the future

In the local communityParticipatoryPeer-supported learningCritical engagement with information and technologies

Information ?

Local people, local information, local services

Posted June 23rd, 2008 by Alexanderhttp://maps.google.co.uk/maps?

****************************************Above is a link to my walk to work which takes me about 40 minutes and I burn

224 calories. I do vary it thou depending on my mood.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

distance duration calories burnt cost carbon footprint 2.36 miles

4748 steps3.80 km224 calories£ 0

Attached is a picture of my gradient of my walk to work

Motivation and support?

Local support groups, local activities, tailored to meet specific needs

Writing and sharing via Blogs?

Inspiration and self-motivation

Users or designers?

Re-designing a local website

•More interactivity and opportunity to ‘talk back’•Like interactive features of BBC and NHS Choices but want ‘local flavour’•Want something more welcoming to older people

What’s been learned? Information is a necessary but not sufficient condition for

self care – support and motivation are bigger issues Self care is difficult in this area as causes and

consequences of condition are beyond scope of individual action alone

Need for broader, more collective approach to WM which can enhance confidence and effect change in environment

Local activity and action is easy to stimulate and build on Internet-based tools can be used to support a ‘blended’

approach to WM in the community (on- and off-line) Greater need to build on expertise of those engaged in

WM when planning information and ICT design, developments and interventions

Engage public as citizens not patients- new forms of governance not just choice

There is further potential in linking health, digital inclusion and community engagement agendas

Further informationNet.Weight Project Team:At the University of Brighton • Professor Flis Henwood, Project Director• Ms Audrey Marshall, Dr Elizabeth Guy, Senior Research Fellows• Ms Tanja Sinozic, Research Officer (User Survey Report)• Ms Laura Bottomley and Mr Ian Hockaday, Project Administrators • At the Brighton and Sussex Medical School• Professor Helen Smith• Dr Leslie Carlin, Research Fellow • In the community• Mr Mark Walker, Sussex Community Internet Project (SCIP)

• http://research.cmis.brighton.ac.uk/netweight/