Leading practices for men to support women's health leadership: A toolkit of resources to initiate change.

Men have a critically important role to play in supporting women from different backgrounds to move into leadership roles. Indeed, it is necessary work for those in positions of privilege to challenge processes that result in inequitable gender outcomes in health leadership. We present the resources that have been compiled into a toolkit for men to support more inclusive health leadership and transformative systemic change. A three-step process was undertaken to search, select, and curate leading evidence-informed practices. Three key clusters of resources in the toolkit address why men's actions are necessary, what leading actions entail, and the importance of mentorship and sponsorship. Change will require more than shaping the individual attitudes and behaviours of men in leadership positions. Attention to gender and other forms of inequity need to be embedded into the structures, processes and outcomes of teams, organizations, and systems and evaluated for process.

Weight Communication: How Do Health Professionals Communicate about Weight with Their Patients in Primary Care Settings?

This study aimed to investigate how health professionals (HPs) communicate about weight with their patients. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 33 health professionals (7 family physicians, 13 nurse practitioners, and 13 dietitians) working in multidisciplinary healthcare settings in Canada. Thematic analysis revealed four main approaches used by HPs to communicate about weight: 1) Analyzing patient perspectives, 2) focusing on overall health rather than weight, 3) directly addressing the topic, and 4) avoiding the topic. The approach chosen was influenced by HPs' outlook on obesity; for example, those who believed obesity to be a chronic disease did not hesitate to communicate about weight. However, some HPs who reported having obesity mentioned avoiding the topic of weight with their patients and emphasized the importance of establishing a trusting relationship with patients before addressing the topic. The approach chosen by HPs also seemed to be influenced by patient receptiveness, level of readiness, and motivation. Weight communication can be sensitive and the approach used to begin the topic of weight may differ based on patient- and HP factors. Future clinical practice guidelines may benefit from shifting toward communicating about modifiable risk factors rather than weight.

Dietitians' Perspectives on the Impact of Multidisciplinary Teams and Electronic Medical Records on Dietetic Practice for Weight Management.

Purpose: To understand the perception of dietitians regarding the effects of multidisciplinary settings and Electronic Health Records (EHRs) on their dietetic practice for weight management. Methods: Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with 14 dietitians working in multidisciplinary settings in Ontario. All interviews were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. Two researchers coded the data independently using a thematic analysis approach. All themes emerged inductively and were refined iteratively. Results: Most dietitians believed that working in a multidisciplinary setting allowed for interprofessional collaboration and time-effective referrals. Multidisciplinary clinics were perceived to improve patient care due to convenient scheduling, consistent messaging, and ongoing support. However, some dietitians reported instances of conflicting approaches and beliefs regarding weight management across health professionals. Dietitians suggested ways to address these conflicting approaches through clinical meetings and education. EHRs were perceived to allow for collaboration through facilitated communication and knowledge exchange; however, lack of interoperability between EHR platforms across different types of health care settings was perceived to be a barrier for optimal care. Conclusions: Overall, multidisciplinary settings were perceived to positively impact dietitians' practices for weight management as they allow for interprofessional collaboration. Consistency in health messaging across health professionals should be emphasized through knowledge exchange.