Poster Presentation ANZOS-Breakthrough Discoveries Joint Annual Scientific Meeting 2018

Understanding facilitators and barriers to engagement in Whānau Pakari: a family-based, multi-disciplinary programme for children and adolescents (#353)

Cervantée EK Wild 1 , Niamh A O'Sullivan 1 2 , Arier C Lee 3 , Tami L Cave 1 , Esther J Willing 4 , Donna M Cormack 4 5 , Paul L Hofman 1 6 , Yvonne C Anderson 1 2
  1. Liggins Institute, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
  2. Department of Paediatrics, Taranaki District Health Board, New Plymouth, New Zealand
  3. Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
  4. Te Kupenga Hauora Māori, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
  5. Te Rōpū Rangahau Hauora a Eru Pōmare, University of Otago, Wellington, New Zealand
  6. Starship Children's Hospital, Auckland District Health Board, Auckland, New Zealand

Background: Despite increased focus on childhood obesity management nationally, the retention and engagement of participants and their families in intervention programmes remains challenging. Whānau Pakari is a family-based, multi-disciplinary obesity intervention programme for children and adolescents. Greatest reductions in BMI SDS were achieved when participants attended ≥70% of sessions, as asked. The objective of this study was to understand facilitators and barriers to engagement in Whānau Pakari, particularly for Māori, New Zealand’s Indigenous population.

Methods: Past eligible Whānau Pakari participants (n=422), including those who were offered a referral but then declined further contact, were invited to undertake an anonymous survey online, by phone or by post (78 were unable to be contacted, leaving a total n=344).

Results: Of those eligible to participate, n=71 completed the survey (71/344, 21%) (45% identified as Māori and 89% female). All respondents had accepted their referral to Whānau Pakari. High attendance levels were associated with respondents reporting the sessions to be conveniently located (p=0.03). Attendance levels were lower when respondents considered other priorities to be more important for their family (p=0.02). Māori more frequently reported that past negative experiences of healthcare influenced their decision to attend Whānau Pakari (p=0.03). Common facilitators identified in survey responses included perceived convenience of the service, and parental motivation to improve their child’s health.

Conclusions: Programme convenience is a facilitator to attendance, as well as parental and self-motivation to improve health. Given only participants who accepted their referral responded to the survey and response rate was low, there is a need to determine barriers to initial engagement for the group who declined further contact with the service. In-depth interviews are underway to understand the relationship between past experiences with healthcare and subsequent engagement with services such as Whānau Pakari, particularly for Māori.