Abstract

Obesity is at epidemic levels within the United States (U.S.), but the Southern U.S. has some of the most obese states. Mississippi (MS) is the most obese state in the country (Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, 2018). Factors such as diet, sedentary lifestyle, cultural influences, and socioeconomic status contribute to the state's citizens being overweight and obese. Contributing to the state's obesity is the fact that MS has more people living in poverty than any other state (Center for American Progress [CAP], 2018). Lacking the ability to afford healthy foods and the ability to afford quality healthcare adds to the state's obesity index. This multifaceted problem has placed MS further into a spiraling trend of poor health. This doctoral project focused on assessing readiness to change in overweight and obese patients, ages 18-64, in a patient-centered medical home in South MS. A screening tool was given to patients identified as overweight and obese. The University of Rhode Island Change Assessment Scale (DiClemente & Hughes, 1990), psychotherapy version, was used to yield a readiness to change score indicative of the stage of change the patient was in at that point in time. Patients received education using handouts on a heart-healthy diet and physical activity.

Author Details

Jarrod Edward Gant, DNP, RN

Sigma Membership

Gamma Lambda

Type

DNP Capstone Project

Format Type

Text-based Document

Study Design/Type

N/A

Research Approach

Translational Research/Evidence-based Practice

Keywords:

Obesity, Readiness to Change, Obesity Factors

Advisor

Cathy Hughes

Degree

DNP

Degree Grantor

University of Southern Mississippi

Degree Year

2019

Rights Holder

All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record.

All permission requests should be directed accordingly and not to the Sigma Repository.

All submitting authors or publishers have affirmed that when using material in their work where they do not own copyright, they have obtained permission of the copyright holder prior to submission and the rights holder has been acknowledged as necessary.

Review Type

None: Degree-based Submission

Acquisition

Proxy-submission

Date of Issue

2019-12-03

Full Text of Presentation

wf_yes

Download

Share

COinS