A recent study revealed that individuals suffering from severe obesity usually face discrimination in health care, with many clinics refusing to see them.
According to research published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, scientists discovered that 41% of clinics declined to schedule an appointment for an obese patient weighing up to 465 pounds.
Over 53% people also lacked facilities and equipment meeting standards of care for patients with a body mass index (BMI) of 60 or more.
Severe obesity is defined as a BMI of 40 or above.
Examples included exam tables or chairs that couldn’t support higher weights, hallways too narrow, and gowns that didn’t fit.
Up to 1 in every 270 Americans, up to 1 million adults, has a 60 or more.
Senior author Dr. Tara Lagu of Northwestern University, “Patients living with severe obesity are already struggling with stigma.”
“To be told they can’t use a table or gown makes medical visits humiliating and degrading.”
The study used a “secret-shopper” method, contacting 300 clinics across five specialities in Boston, Cleveland, Houston, and Portland. Ear, nose, and throat (ENT) specialists were less likely to allow the obese people to visit, while endocrinologists were the most accommodating.
Nearly 16% of clinics that agreed to schedule an appointment imposed humiliating workarounds, such as standing during exams.
Scientists suggest broader use of a Clinical Environment Checklist to assist clinics enhance accommodations.
