The Effect of a Multifaceted Intervention Including Classroom Education and Bariatric Weight Suit Use on Medical Students' Attitudes toward Patients with Obesity.
Obes Facts
; 16(4): 381-391, 2023.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-36977399
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION:
Weight bias refers to negative attitudes toward individuals because of their weight. Evidence-based strategies to successfully reduce weight bias in medical students are lacking. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of a multifaceted intervention on medical students' attitudes toward patients with obesity.METHODS:
Third and fourth year medical students (n = 79), who enrolled in an 8-week graduate course focusing on the various epidemiologic, physiological, and clinical aspects of obesity, including a gamification task with bariatric weight suits (BWSs), were asked to complete the Nutrition, Exercise and Weight Management (NEW) Attitudes Scale questionnaire pre- and post-course. The inclusion period was between September 2018 and June 2021 and covered 4 consecutive groups of students.RESULTS:
The overall NEW Attitudes Scale scores did not change significantly pre- versus post-intervention (pre-course 19.59, post-course 24.21, p value = 0.24). However, the subgroup of 4th year medical students showed a significant improvement in their attitudes (pre-course 16.4, post-course 26.16, p value = 0.02). The Thurstone rating of 9 out of 31 individual survey items changed significantly from pre- to post-course with a moderate strength (Cramer's V >0.2), including 5 items showing weight bias reduction. The disagreement with the statement "overweight/obese individuals lack willpower" increased from 37 to 68%.CONCLUSION:
These findings suggest that in medical students with a low level of weight bias at baseline, a semester course on obesity combined with BWS use affects only a limited number of items of the NEW Attitudes Scale questionnaire. The sensitization of medical students to weight stigma has the potential to improve quality of healthcare for patients with obesity.Palavras-chave
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Estudantes de Medicina
/
Bariatria
/
Preconceito de Peso
Limite:
Humans
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Obes Facts
Ano de publicação:
2023
Tipo de documento:
Article