Weight bias in healthcare has both physical and emotion negative impacts on the patients who experience it. Despite this, it is still an occurrence within the medical field, with medical students and health care providers stereotyping patients with obesity as being lazy, unintelligent, and less likely to comply with the treatment plan and medications. In order to end weight bias and better support patients with obesity, future and current healthcare providers must address and correct their own biases towards weight. Ellen Maud Bennett had been feeling unwell for years. During this time, she reached out to medical professionals for help and support, only to be suggested weight loss. Eventually, she was diagnosed with inoperable cancer and told she had only a few days left to live (Kassam, 2018). In her obituary, she was described as a “creative soul” and “wonderful student” by her family, and her wish was for women of size to stand and advocate for their health, sharing that she had experienced fat shaming from members of the medical field (Kassam, 2018). Ellen’s story resonated with others, because like her, patients in our society have been mistreated by medical professionals due to their weight. Mistreatment and negative perception of patients with obesity is far too common in the medical field, with medical students, physicians and other health providers expressing negative attitudes and biases towards heavier patients. Studies have shown that medical students and health care providers view patients who are overweight as lazy, unintelligent, and more likely to be noncompliant as a patient (Puhl et al., 2014). In a study by Huizinga et al. titled “Disparity in Physician Perception of Patients’ Adherence to Medications by Obesity Status”, patients with higher BMI were seen as less likely to follow-through and take their medications (Huizinga et al., 2010). These assumptions can harm patient-provider relationships and negative experiences with a provider can lead to patients being reluctant to seek medical care. Patients who experience weight bias are more likely to cancel their appointments and avoid preventative screenings (Puhl et al., 2014). They also have an increased likelihood of experiencing psychological distress, as well as maladaptive eating behaviors (Puhl et al., 2014). Therefore, it can be said that experiencing weight bias can negatively impact both physical and emotional health (Puhl et al., 2014). Weight bias can also impact the frequency and quality of care that patients with obesity receive. Eighty-three percent of physicians in a study by Adams et al. expressed reluctance on performing a pelvic exam on patients with obesity, and as the weight of the women subjects in the study increased, so did their reluctance in obtaining a pelvic exam, and it was found that the likelihood of getting an annual pelvic exam decreased (Adams et al., 1993). Another study, which asked physicians to indicate how much time they would spend with a patient, as well as which tests and procedures they would conduct, demonstrated that while physicians would order more tests for overweight patients, they would spend less time with them (Hebl & Xu, 2001). Less time spent with patients can lead to less rapport building and less time spent understanding the patient’s concerns. In order to end weight bias and provide quality care to patients with obesity, changes must be made to our health care system and amongst our health care professionals. Health centers must provide equipment that can service people of all sizes, including arm bands and gowns in diverse sizes and bariatric seating available in waiting and examination rooms. Despite the fact that hospital machinery such as MRI and CT machines are manufactured to accommodate larger patients, many emergency departments do not have them. In fact, a national study conducted in 2008 showed that only around 10% and 8% of hospitals with emergency departments had large weight capacity (>450 lbs) CT and MRI respectively (Ginde et al., 2008). Lastly, future and current health professionals must confront and fix their own biases towards weight and obesity, so that they are able to provide quality and compassionate care to all of their patients. Sources:
AuthorWritten by Madie Kurth Comments are closed.
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aboutThis blog is composed by students who attend the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the Beyond Symptoms Organization. This blog serves to educate the public on disparities in healthcare. Categories |