A Virtual Reality Training Tool to Improve Weight-Related Communication Across Healthcare Settings

Overweight and obesity is a global health problem and the related challenges are complex and difficult to address. Healthcare professionals working across different settings have opportunities to engage in weight-related discussions, but often there are perceived barriers to communication. Training in this area provides healthcare professionals with little opportunity for skills-based communication practice because the training is mostly limited to the medical impacts of overweight and obesity. A virtual reality (VR) training tool could offer the opportunity to learn and practice sensitive communication skills in a safe and practical way. This paper describes the research methodology that will be used to develop and test the feasibility of a VR training tool to improve weight-related communication with patients who are overweight and obese in healthcare settings. The study design will use a mixed method approach over 4 phases; (1) Systematic literature review (2) Design and development of the VR training tool (3) Usability testing and (4) A Feasibility study of the VR training tool. A Twitter chat will be used to gather feedback from the public and semi-structured interviews with healthcare professionals will inform the design of the VR tool. The anticipated outcome of this PhD is the development and feasibility testing of a VR training tool to improve weight-related communication with patients who are overweight and obese in healthcare settings.