Chronic Disease Unit Care for Obesity

Obesity is a chronic and progressive disease medically defined as an increase in body fat, with consequences for physical, psychological and social well-being. With an estimated prevalence of 17% in France, obesity and its management remain a major public health issue. Projections by the World Health Organisation (WHO) show that the prevalence of non-communicable diseases, including obesity, is set to rise again by 2030 in all European countries. To support patients and prevent obesity development, the French National Authority for Health (HAS) advocates change in practices and places patient education at the heart of care. The management of chronic diseases such as obesity must be offered on a long-term basis, adapting to complications onset, and patients must become active players in their treatment and the proposed care pathway. However, our experience shows that patients have difficulty finding their way around a care pathway and identifying the medical or paramedical resources that could help them to set their health goals and initiate change. That's why the Var region has developed the "Chronic Disease Unit", which offers coordinated, adapted and individualised care pathways for patients suffering from chronic illnesses, including obesity; therapeutic education and the psychosocial dimension are at the heart of the Chronic Disease Unit approach. Depending on their psychosocial skills, each patient will be encouraged to develop skills at their own pace, but also to become autonomous in managing their illness and taking part in the healthcare decisions about them. To be autonomous, a patient must not only know what to do, but also feel able to do it, i.e. develop a sense of self-efficacy. When they have the necessary skills and believe in their abilities, patients are more likely to adopt health-promoting behaviours. While obesity generally seems to be linked to a low self-efficacy, the self-efficacy appears to be involved in weight management quality, commitment to a programme and the weight loss extent that results. The aim of EVAMMACH study is to evaluate if the Chronic Disease Unit care pathway could promote obese patients' sense of self-efficacy and meet their expectations.