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Weight Management Interactions in a Virtual Clinical Environment

This study is currently recruiting participants.
Verified June 2012 by National Institutes of Health Clinical Center (CC)
Sponsor:
Information provided by:
National Institutes of Health Clinical Center (CC)
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
NCT01443910
First received: September 10, 2011
Last updated: December 19, 2012
Last verified: June 2012
History of Changes
  Purpose

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.

Condition
Healthy
Body Weight

Study Type: Observational
Study Design: Time Perspective: Retrospective
Official Title: Weight Management Interactions in a Virtual Clinical Environment

Resource links provided by NLM:

MedlinePlus related topics: Drug Reactions
U.S. FDA Resources

Further study details as provided by National Institutes of Health Clinical Center (CC):

Estimated Enrollment: 290
Study Start Date: August 2011
Detailed Description:

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.

  Eligibility

Ages Eligible for Study:   20 Years to 50 Years
Genders Eligible for Study:   Female
Accepts Healthy Volunteers:   Yes
Criteria

  • INCLUSION CRITERIA:

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

EXCLUSION CRITERIA:

  1. having a vestibular or seizure disorder
  2. having a high propensity for motion sickness
  3. known pregnancy
  4. uncorrected low vision or hearing
  5. inability to complete tasks in the virtual environment
  6. being an NHGRI employee
  7. being or training to become a health care provider
  Contacts and Locations
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01443910

Contacts
Contact: Peter H Hanna (301) 451-1268 hannapd@mail.nih.gov
Contact: Susan Persky, Ph.D. (301) 443-0098 perskys@mail.nih.gov

Locations
United States, Maryland
National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, 9000 Rockville Pike Recruiting
Bethesda, Maryland, United States, 20892
Contact: For more information at the NIH Clinical Center contact Patient Recruitment and Public Liaison Office (PRPL)     800-411-1222 ext TTY8664111010     prpl@mail.cc.nih.gov    
Sponsors and Collaborators
National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI)
Investigators
Principal Investigator: Susan Persky, Ph.D. National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI)
  More Information

Additional Information:
NIH Clinical Center Detailed Web Page  This link exits the ClinicalTrials.gov site

Publications:

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01443910     History of Changes
Other Study ID Numbers: 110238, 11-HG-0238
Study First Received: September 10, 2011
Last Updated: December 19, 2012
Health Authority: United States: Federal Government

Keywords provided by National Institutes of Health Clinical Center (CC):
Body Weight
Immersive Virtual Enviroment Technology

Additional relevant MeSH terms:
Body Weight
Signs and Symptoms

ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on May 19, 2013