WIP 7 - Perceptions of Community Pediatricians on the Use of Phentermine for Adolescent Obesity Management in New Mexico.

Poster Number: WIP 7
Publication Number: WIP 7.812

Background: Obesity is a chronic illness with a marked increase in prevalence over the last several decades. Pediatricians are at the forefront of obesity screening, diagnosis, and treatment. The updated clinical guidelines for the Evaluation and Treatment of Children and Adolescents with Obesity published by the American Academy of Pediatrics gave pediatricians a framework for multidisciplinary treatment. Unfortunately, access to multidisciplinary intervention is lacking. While medication adjuncts are available for prescription, many are limited by cost, insurance, and lack of provider comfort with “off-label” use. Phentermine is a low-cost, FDA approved, medication for short course obesity treatment in adolescents 16 and older. Despite FDA approval, many pediatricians have not prescribed phentermine. The negative association with Fen-Phen (fenfluramine and phentermine) in the 1990s has the proclivity to affect the perception of pediatricians when choosing medication adjuncts for obesity treatment.

Objective: The goal of this study is to assess the perceptions of medications, specifically phentermine, in the treatment of adolescent obesity among community pediatricians and to explore if pediatricians associate phentermine with Fen-Phen as a concern for use

Design/Methods: Ten community pediatricians will be recruited and interviewed with an IRB approved semi-structured interview guide. Interviews will be transcribed and coded. Intercoder reliability analysis will be completed in NVivo. A constructivist grounded theory framework will be used to guide analysis and thematic categories will be identified. These categories will be used to provide an in-depth analysis of variable meaning for participants, using a constant comparison method. Projected completion of interviews is January 30th with transcription completed by February 30th. Coding and analysis will take place from February to May. Preliminary themes include concern for cardiovascular side effects, theoretical addiction potential, and intimate knowledge of “Fen-Phen.”