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  • What We're Working On
Patient education to support self-management skills for healthy body weight
Patient education to support self-management skills for healthy body weight-PLS
Scientific Study Title:
Pilot study on therapeutic patient education in patients with metabolic comorbidities
Start Date:
  • November 2026
End Date:
  • October 2027
Research Category
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Why do this research?

Living with obesity can bring physical and emotional health challenges that affect everyday quality of life. Managing health involves complex daily choices about nutrition, physical activity, sleep, and mental well-being, yet many individuals report feeling unsupported or facing weight stigma and barriers to care. Therapeutic patient education offers structured support to help people gain practical self-management skills and adopt healthy habits, rather than focusing solely on body weight. This pilot study focuses on co-creating an educational program adapted to the local context in Quebec and testing whether patients and healthcare professionals find it acceptable, accessible, and useful.

What will be done?

  • Co-designing the program: Researchers, healthcare staff, and patient partners will collaborate to create the content and structure of the education program.
  • Recruiting participants: The study will involve approximately 30 adult patients receiving care at specialized clinics in Quebec, alongside about 12 healthcare professionals (including doctors and nurses).
  • Delivering the intervention: Participants will go through a four-phase program consisting of an individual needs assessment interview, a personalized learning contract, a one-day in-person group session, follow-up workshops, and a final check-in interview.
  • Evaluating outcomes: Researchers will gather feedback through questionnaires, individual interviews, and focus groups over up to nine months to assess participant retention, quality of life, confidence in managing health, and implementation barriers

How are equity, diversity and inclusion addressed?

  • Tailored care: Educational assessments explore each patient’s unique life situation, including financial realities and health literacy, to set realistic self-management goals.
  • Flexible access: Remote patients, individuals with limited mobility, or those with demanding schedules can join via telemedicine and flexible meeting times.
  • The diversity among participants and the interdisciplinary healthcare team—encompassing age, gender, cultural background, religion, and disability—will be taken into account
  • Safe & inclusive environment: Sessions take place in welcoming settings using neutral, inclusive language that respects participants’ diverse identities and backgrounds

The Research Team

Principal Investigators:

Laetitia Michou, MD, PhD, Research Scientist, Arthritis Research Canada (Universite Laval)

Dre Anne-Marie Carreau, MD, MSc (Université Laval)

Co-Investigators:

Dr Sylvain Iceta, MD (Université Laval)

Dre Emilie Lachance, MSc (Université Laval)

Dre Marilou Côté, PhD (Centre Nutrition, santé et société [NUTRISS])

Pre Anne-Sophie Morisset, PhD (Université Laval)

Virginie Blanchette, citizen partner

Collaborators:

Martin Racicot, LNP (Université Laval)

Dre Amélie Boisvert MD (Université Laval)

Who Funded This Research?

CHU de Quebec Foundation

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