Stories

For World Obesity Day 2022, the Brazilian Obesity Panel convened obesity experts and organizations to share their experiences in preventing and controlling obesity in Brazil. This is one of their stories.

I am a Social Worker of the Bariatric and Metabolic Surgery Program at Hospital Universitário Cassiano Antonio Moraes (HUCAM) and Coordinator of the Extension Project to share the knowledge of our multidisciplinary team.

Obesity is a chronic disease of multifactorial causes. With this in mind, we created an extension project to share the knowledge of the multidisciplinary team of the bariatric surgery program about the management of pre- and post-operative patients in all related areas within the network of care for obese individuals. Each member of the team is responsible for preparing a web lecture and deliver it via Telehealth. 12 web lectures have already been given via Telehealth, reaching more than 21,200 views.

What was the objective of this project?

Our general objective was to train professionals from the multidisciplinary team in primary and secondary care in the four macro-regions of Espirito Santo (Metropolitan, Northern, Northwestern, and Southern macro-regions) in the management of the treatment of individuals with obesity.
Specifically, we wanted to:

• Improve primary care in the line of health care for obese and overweight patients.
• Share the necessary knowledge for the standard management of the post-bariatric patient in all related areas (nutrition, psychology and medicine, among others) with the network of care for the obese individual.
• Strengthen the Health Care Network for People with Chronic Diseases, with respect to the organization of the prevention and treatment of overweight and obesity.
• Promote a better relationship and integration among the three levels of health care at HUS (primary, secondary, and tertiary care).

What was the methodology used?

For the execution of the project, we held a series of study group meetings. Academics of nutrition, psychology, medicine, social service, physical education, physiotherapy and nursing did a bibliographic survey, searching for scientific articles, books, dissertations and theses that relate the following topics: obesity, bariatric surgery, multi-professional team, integral attention, humanized care, health education. They made notes of all the material read for later group discussions. Weekly meetings are held with the students to discuss the texts, providing the group with a theoretical foundation to carry out the project's activities. We disseminate the extension project to the state and municipalities of Espírito Santo, through the Councils of Municipal Health Secretaries (COSEMS) and the Regional InterManagerial Commission (CIR). We also used the Telehealth service of the Cassiano Antônio Moraes University Hospital (HUCAM).

What were the results?

The project resulted in an extension course for health professionals and students with the theme "Fundamentals of Bariatric and Metabolic Surgery: Multi-professional Approach"; a presentation at the IX Integrated Journey of Extension and Culture; participation in the Obesity Prevention Walk of the Cariacica/Spirito Santo City Hall and several web lectures on the theme aimed at health professionals.

How have these results impacted the lives of people with obesity?

Through training professionals in the management of obesity and encouraging more humanized care, it is possible to provide patients with obesity and overweight with access to information for a better lifestyle, improved self-esteem and self-knowledge of a healthy life, as well as the treatment of obesity and related comorbidities.

By Ana Paula Ribeiro Ferreira.