Barriers to health care utilization: The effect of the medical stigma of "obesity" on women.
Item
-
Title
-
Barriers to health care utilization: The effect of the medical stigma of "obesity" on women.
-
Identifier
-
AAI9108157
-
identifier
-
9108157
-
Creator
-
Packer, Jaclyn.
-
Contributor
-
Adviser: Barbara Katz Rothman
-
Date
-
1990
-
Language
-
English
-
Publisher
-
City University of New York.
-
Subject
-
Psychology, Social | Psychology, Personality | Women's Studies
-
Abstract
-
Both qualitative and quantitative methods of data collection were used to determine whether, among those who are more than 30% above medical standards for appropriate weight, weight level and attribution of responsibility for weight affect physician utilization. A questionnaire, administered to 118 female participants, ages 19 to 70, 58 from Weight Watchers (a diet group) and 60 from the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance (NAAFA) (a human rights group), found that the former were much more likely to believe that they were personally responsible for their weight. Those in Weight Watchers were more likely to have had their current physician for a greater amount of time while those in NAAFA were likely to have seen a greater number of different physicians. Those who weighed more had significantly less positive attitudes toward physicians and indicated more weight-related and non-weight-related reasons for having avoided physicians in the past.;Twenty of the 118 participants were chosen for in-depth interviews. Seven women from each of the two groups were chosen, matching on background characteristics, particularly weight and age. Six of the largest women, all from NAAFA, were chosen for interviews as well. Almost all the women interviewed expressed negative feelings about having their weight discussed by a physician and did not believe that physicians are likely to be of much help to people in losing weight. Most reported having avoided needed physician visits because of weight-related reasons including not wanting to discuss their weight with a physician, having their medical needs ignored because of their weight, or being treated disrespectfully. The largest women reported having had more difficult interactions with physicians regarding their weight. Despite the similarity in feeling between participants in the two groups, the NAAFA participants reported being much more angry about the treatment they've received by physicians, and only the NAAFA participants reported having severed relationships with physicians because of weight issues. While weight level clearly has a negative effect on physician utilization, believing one is not responsible for being fat leads to greater conflict with physicians and more active avoidance.
-
Type
-
dissertation
-
Source
-
PQT Legacy CUNY.xlsx
-
degree
-
Ph.D.
