Presenter Status
Medical Student
Abstract Type
Clinical Research
Primary Mentor or Principal Investigator
Richard M Schwend
Presentation Type
Poster-Restricted Access
Start Date
21-5-2026 12:00 PM
End Date
21-5-2026 1:00 PM
Abstract Text
Background:
Slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE) is strongly associated with pediatric obesity, yet post-operative care often prioritizes surgical recovery without addressing broader lifestyle and metabolic risk factors. SCFE may represent a critical “wakeup call” for families to initiate health behavior change, but little is known about how families perceive and respond to this opportunity.
Objectives/Goal:
To qualitatively explore parental perceptions of SCFE etiology, obesity and weight management, post-operative behavior change, and perceived barriers to lifestyle modification following pediatric SCFE.
Methods/Design:
We conducted a qualitative study of parents of pediatric patients treated for slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE) at Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City. Semi-structured interviews explored family understanding of SCFE etiology, perceptions of obesity and weight management, post-operative behavior change, and perceived barriers to lifestyle modification. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and de-identified. Transcripts were analyzed using an iterative qualitative approach utilizing Saldaña’s coding methodology, including first-cycle open coding followed by pattern coding to identify recurrent themes across cases. Interviews were conducted until thematic saturation was approached for core themes, with ongoing enrollment to further refine and expand thematic analysis. Neighborhood-level socioeconomic indices were collected to contextualize family experiences and inform future mixed-methods analyses.
Results:
Ten parent interviews were analyzed. Five major themes emerged:
(1) Etiology Attribution– Parents frequently attributed SCFE to growth spurts, genetics, or chance, with obesity often minimized or reframed as a secondary factor
(2) Clinical Messaging Gaps – Families reported limited or inconsistent counseling regarding weight management, particularly during the acute surgical period
(3) Fear-Driven Inactivity – Fear of re-injury, avascular necrosis, or future surgery commonly led to prolonged activity avoidance despite medical clearance
(4) Variable Engagement with Weight Management– Interest in structured weight management programs ranged from strong enthusiasm to avoidance, influenced by stigma, developmental readiness, and concern about judgment
(5) Psychosocial and Environmental Barriers – Shame, bullying, parental protectiveness, competing family stressors, and logistical challenges often outweigh medical recommendations in shaping post-SCFE behavior.
Across cases, SCFE increased health awareness but did not consistently translate into sustained lifestyle change.
Conclusions:
Families experience SCFE as a disruptive clinical event that heightens awareness of health risks but is inconsistently leveraged to promote lasting behavior change. Responses are shaped more by perceptions of etiology, fear, psychosocial context, and variable clinical messaging than by our expectation that the SCFE would lead to an expected positive change in family behavior and habits. These findings suggest that SCFE represents an underutilized “wakeup call” and highlight the need for structured, developmentally sensitive, and family-centered interventions that integrate orthopedic recovery with obesity-focused counseling.
Slipped Capital Femoral Epiphysis as a Wakeup Call: A Qualitative Analysis of Family Perceptions, Behavior Change, and Barriers to Weight Management
Background:
Slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE) is strongly associated with pediatric obesity, yet post-operative care often prioritizes surgical recovery without addressing broader lifestyle and metabolic risk factors. SCFE may represent a critical “wakeup call” for families to initiate health behavior change, but little is known about how families perceive and respond to this opportunity.
Objectives/Goal:
To qualitatively explore parental perceptions of SCFE etiology, obesity and weight management, post-operative behavior change, and perceived barriers to lifestyle modification following pediatric SCFE.
Methods/Design:
We conducted a qualitative study of parents of pediatric patients treated for slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE) at Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City. Semi-structured interviews explored family understanding of SCFE etiology, perceptions of obesity and weight management, post-operative behavior change, and perceived barriers to lifestyle modification. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and de-identified. Transcripts were analyzed using an iterative qualitative approach utilizing Saldaña’s coding methodology, including first-cycle open coding followed by pattern coding to identify recurrent themes across cases. Interviews were conducted until thematic saturation was approached for core themes, with ongoing enrollment to further refine and expand thematic analysis. Neighborhood-level socioeconomic indices were collected to contextualize family experiences and inform future mixed-methods analyses.
Results:
Ten parent interviews were analyzed. Five major themes emerged:
(1) Etiology Attribution– Parents frequently attributed SCFE to growth spurts, genetics, or chance, with obesity often minimized or reframed as a secondary factor
(2) Clinical Messaging Gaps – Families reported limited or inconsistent counseling regarding weight management, particularly during the acute surgical period
(3) Fear-Driven Inactivity – Fear of re-injury, avascular necrosis, or future surgery commonly led to prolonged activity avoidance despite medical clearance
(4) Variable Engagement with Weight Management– Interest in structured weight management programs ranged from strong enthusiasm to avoidance, influenced by stigma, developmental readiness, and concern about judgment
(5) Psychosocial and Environmental Barriers – Shame, bullying, parental protectiveness, competing family stressors, and logistical challenges often outweigh medical recommendations in shaping post-SCFE behavior.
Across cases, SCFE increased health awareness but did not consistently translate into sustained lifestyle change.
Conclusions:
Families experience SCFE as a disruptive clinical event that heightens awareness of health risks but is inconsistently leveraged to promote lasting behavior change. Responses are shaped more by perceptions of etiology, fear, psychosocial context, and variable clinical messaging than by our expectation that the SCFE would lead to an expected positive change in family behavior and habits. These findings suggest that SCFE represents an underutilized “wakeup call” and highlight the need for structured, developmentally sensitive, and family-centered interventions that integrate orthopedic recovery with obesity-focused counseling.
Comments
Poster Board Number: 16