Self-reported access to and quality of healthcare for diabetes: do the severely obese experience equal access?

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Given reported pejorative views that health professionals have about patients who are severely obese, we examined the self-reported views of the quality and availability of diabetes care from the perspective of adults with type 2 diabetes (T2DM), stratified by body mass index (BMI). METHODS: 1795 respondents to the Diabetes MILES - Australia national survey had T2DM. Of these, 530 (30%) were severely obese (BMI ≥35 kg/m²) and these participants were matched with 530 controls (BMI <35 kg/m²). Data regarding participants' self-reported interactions with health practitioners and services were compared. RESULTS: Over 70% of participants reported that their general practitioner was the professional they relied on most for diabetes care. There were no between-group differences in patient-reported availability of health services, quality of interaction with health practitioners, resources and support for self-management, or access to almost all diabetes services. DISCUSSION: Participants who were severely obese did not generally report greater difficulty in accessing diabetes care.