Perceptions on the use of medication for weight management fromteens, parents and pediatricians in the southwest.

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ABSTRACT The Medical Student Scholar (MSS) recently completed his 3rd year in medical school at the University of New Mexico School of Medicine. He is interested in research to build upon his medical training. Having experienced being obese as a child, he has a special interest in adolescent obesity. His background is that of a Hispanic underrepresented minority in the biomedical field and his diversity will be of great benefit on the proposed study entitled “Perceptions on the use of medication for weight management from teens, parents, and pediatricians in the southwest.” This formative study will contribute to the larger IDeA States Pediatric Clinical Trials Network’s planned clinical trial on phentermine + lifestyle therapy vs placebo + lifestyle therapy. Understanding adolescents’, caregivers’, and pediatricians’ perceptions of weight loss medications, especially phentermine, is critically important as there has been negative publicity on the weight loss drug, Fen-phen, in the 1990s. While the phentermine component was not the culprit that caused heart valve damage, the association of phentermine with Fen-phen may likely still be a concern for use among parents and pediatricians who are old enough to remember when the FDA ordered Fenfluramine to be removed from the market. The results of the MSS’s proposed study will be used to inform recruitment, retention, and implementation of the planned phentermine clinical trial. Through hands-on research experience, the PI will mentor the MSS to develop skills in basic qualitative research and increase his understanding of formative research that can be used in preparation of clinical trials in the pediatric population. The MSS will be supported by a team of experienced researchers with qualitative expertise and be exposed to the services at the UNM Clinical and Translational Science Center and the Community Engagement Research Core. He will be actively involved through training and take part in the study to meet competency in clinical research regulations, IRB submission, developing semi-structured interview guides, participant recruitment and consent, participant interviewing, and thematic analysis. Specific objectives are as follows: 1) Mentor will guide MSS in the proposed independent research project that augments and is integral to the parent project, and 2) MSS will leverage parent project experts and interprofessional collaboration for project actualization. Specific aims for the MSS: 1) Build MSS research skills over the course of the proposed formative study through an Individual Development Plan and self-assessment to provide structured oversight and employ a variety of teaching methods tailored to the MSS’s skills and needs including one-on-one sessions, current discipline specific literature curriculum, collaboration with study related team group meetings, consultation with team experts, opportunity to attend interdisciplinary local seminars and attendance at a national conference covering a topic relevant to the proposed project; 2) MSS will take active part in all phases of the formative study using basic qualitative research methodology, 3) MSS will present and submit findings for publication.