Weight Management Interactions in a Virtual Clinical Environment

This study is part of an effort to learn about interactions between doctors and patients. We aim to understand how women feel about techniques that doctors use to talk with patients about their weight. We are studying women s reactions to these techniques using a virtual reality version of a doctor s office to create as realistic a model of a doctor s visit as possible. This can help us better understand what happens during real doctor s visits.

Women between the ages of 20 and 50 who are currently overweight may be eligible for this study. Participants will be recruited from the Washington D.C. area. This is not a weight treatment study.

Participants undergo the following procedures:

* Complete an online questionnaire about themselves, their experiences, and their thoughts about their weight * Participate in activities in a virtual reality environment in which they interact with a virtual doctor in a virtual clinical scenario. For this experiment, participants wear a head-mounted display that allows them to see the virtual world images. * Fill out a questionnaire after completing the virtual reality activities. This questionnaire includes information on the participants' virtual reality experience, the information provided in the experience, and additional questions about themselves and their thoughts.

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Key information

Conditions

Healthy Volunteers Body Weight Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms Signs and Symptoms

Age range

20 year–50 year

Sex eligibility

Female

Study type

Observational

Primary location

National Institutes of Health Clinical Center

Bethesda, Maryland, 20892, United States

About this study

The primary goal of this research project is to build an evidence base related to primary care encounters that include discussions about a patient s body weight. We are particularly interested in how encounters impact patients health-related and weight-related attitudes and beliefs. Furthermore, this project aims to determine how a physician s approach to the health care encounter impacts its outcome.

The current study is a controlled experiment in which participants will be participate in a weight counseling encounter with a virtual reality-based doctor. The virtual doctor will present weight etiology information. Participants will fill out a self-report questionnaire online, prior to this encounter. They will then come in to the Immersive Virtual Environment Testing Area in the NIH Clinical Center for a visit. During this visit, they will engage in the interaction with the virtual doctor and then fill out a post-test questionnaire. Participants in the main trial will include approximately 222 healthy adult females between 20-50 years of age who have a BMI of greater than or equal to 25 and are dissatisfied with their current weight.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

INCLUSION CRITERIA:

being between 20 and 50 years old
having a self-reported body mass index of greater than or equal to 25
having the ability to read, write, and converse in English
being able to come to the NIH Clinical Center for one visit

Exclusion criteria

having a vestibular or seizure disorder
having a high propensity for motion sickness
known pregnancy
uncorrected low vision or hearing
inability to complete tasks in the virtual environment
being an NHGRI employee
being or training to become a health care provider

Treatment and study plan

Primary outcomes

attitudes, beliefs, and behavior

Time frame: cross-sectional

self-report outcomes

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI)

Nih

Registry information

Important dates

Study start: 2012
Primary completion: 2016
Study completion: 2016
First posted: Sep 30, 2011
Registry last updated: Dec 14, 2023

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

Published trials that share one or more normalized conditions with this study.

Completed