Supporting the self-management of obesity: The role of information and communication technology

1. Supporting the self-management of obesity: The role of information and communication technology Presentation at Department of Health 17th May 2010

2. Overall aim To investigate the potential for increased, innovative and effective uses of ICTs in the self-management of obesity (weight management)

3. Research and policy context ICT research initiative at PRP at DH: ‘The role of technology in supporting chronic disease management, self care and healthy living’ Net.weight sits at intersection of 3 policy areas: • Self care • Information and ICTs • Obesity

4. Local, lived experience • Local focus: 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 and uses can be identified in this context?

5. Project flow diagram

6. Results: providers • No central portal for HL info in city • Key providers- PCT and City Council’s Active for Life initiative • Relevant info but hard to find • Website didn’t speak to NW participants • No interactive elements or Web 2.0 features

7. Results: users • Majority over 45 and female; many been trying to lose weight ‘forever’ • Wanting to lose or maintain weight, ‘get healthy’ • 40% with one or more chronic condition • Poor experiences with health profs in past • Support for behaviour change still wanted but blame unwelcome

8. Results: information and technology • Generic HL info no longer needed; personalised info preferred • High internet access (80%) but • Low use for health-related info and communication • Almost no use of online WM activities • Little knowledge of local websites

9. Participatory learning workshops • ‘Co-designed’ • 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 • Local support networks • Information for men

10. 39 participants, 3 groups, series of 4 workshops per group: Information guided tour Sharing and community In our own words Making the future In the local community Participatory Peer-supported learning Critical engagement with information and technologies

11. Net.weight Community

12. Information: from ‘users’ to ‘providers’

13. Posted June 23rd, 2008 by Alexander http://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 miles4748 steps3.80 km224 calories£ 0 Attached is a picture of my gradient of my walk to work Self-help, motivation and support

14. Reflection, inspiration and self-motivation

15. From ‘users’ to ‘designers’

16. Participant reflections • It’s given me another dimension to my life, really (Alexander, 54, became ethusiastic user) • If I hadn’t done Net.weight, I would never, ever, have gone anywhere near a computer (Natasha, 60, beginner and still tentative user) • You need life support... A person, or [at least] a ‘phone number (Amanda, 59, engaged and critical user)

17. Conclusions • Question: what is the potential for increased, innovative and effective uses of ICTs in the self-management of obesity (weight management)? • Answer: there is huge potential: • in technologies • in knowledge and expertise held by those engaged in WM • in bringing these two together to develop innovative ideas for local information and ICT design ideas to support WM ‘in place’ • Beyond use to ‘effective use’ : • ‘the capacity and opportunity to successfully integrate ICTs into the accomplishment of self or collaboratively identified goals’ (Gurstein, 2003)

18. Policy messages • Self care • Self care is difficult in this area as causes and consequences of condition are beyond scope of individual action alone • Information • Information is a necessary but not sufficient condition for self care – support and motivation are bigger issues • Personalised info preferred to generic messages • Internet • 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 • Obesity • Need for broader, more collective approach to WM which can enhance confidence and effect change in environment

19. Technology and policy development in weight management • Participation is key • Wilson and Casey’s model • Information, feedback, participation • Personal and group involvement • Local activity and action is easy to stimulate and build on • 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

20. Further information 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/