Study of fat phobia experiences among overweight or obese patients in the care environment, and the consequences on their medical care ; Étude des expériences vécues comme grossophobes par les patients en surpoids ou obèses dans le milieu des soins, et les conséquences sur leur prise en charge médicale

Context: The way obesity is dealt with is a vital challenge for public health. However, more and more patients are reporting discrimination based on their body weight from within the medical field. Objective: To establish an inventory of fat-phobia experiences among overweight or obese patients in the medical environment and the consequences of it on their medical care. Method: A quantitative, observational, descriptive, transverse study based on an online questionnaire which collected patients' feelings on the issue of fat-phobia in the medical environment. Questionnaires were also distributed by dieticians. An optional question allowed respondents to describe a situation they perceived as discriminatory. These data were analysed and triangulated using an inductive method. Results: 104 questionnaires were analysed. 87% of the respondents felt they had experienced fat-phobia in the medical environment. The higher the BMI, the greater the feeling of fat-phobia. The main behaviours reported were paternalism, devaluation or mockery. These events caused the patients to feel anger, sadness and shame and could also lead to increased anxiety. For some, these prejudices had caused delays in diagnostics and misdiagnoses. 64% of the respondents had already stopped a medical follow-up because of these discriminations. Conclusion: According to the respondents, fat-phobia is still too present in the medical environment and has a negative impact on their care. It can be responsible for a break in medical follow-up and avoidance of care. It is therefore essential to reduce the prejudices from caregivers in order to offer better care to these patients. ; Contexte : La prise en charge de l’obésité est un enjeu primordial de santé publique. Pourtant de plus en plus de personnes témoignent de discriminations envers leur poids, au sein du domaine médical. Objectif : Etablir un état des lieux des expériences ressenties comme grossophobes par les patients en surpoids ou obèses dans le milieu médical et les conséquences sur leur prise ...