Objective: Stigmatization of obese patients by health care professionals represents a significant barrier to seek care. The study aims to identify weight-related stigmatizing attitudes of mental and somatic health care professionals.
Methods: The data base was derived from a survey of 773 health care professionals using a vignette-based approach. Stigmatizing attitudes were assessed with the Fat Phobia Scale.
Results: Health care professionals in the somatic and mental health field stigmatize overweight individuals. Stigmatizing attitudes were associated with the belief in the lack of willpower of obese people and an increased perceived workload caused by overweight patients.
Conclusions: The stigmatization of obese people needs to be addressed and mentally ill patients seem to be an especially vulnerable group due to double stigma.
© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.