Date of Conferral

2021

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Nursing

Advisor

Amy Swango - Wilson

Abstract

Obesity management has been identified as an important issue in health promotion, and some researchers have also reported that people who are obese often do not seek health care. Yet, current research is lacking on the complexities of weight stigma from the perspective of people who are obese. The purpose of this qualitive descriptive study was to understand the perceptions of weight bias/stigma of obese individuals. Guided by Goffman’s Theory of Social Stigma and the Health Belief Model, purposive sampling was used to recruit 10 participants who had a body mass index greater than 30 and who lived in West Virginia, Southern Ohio, or Northeastern Kentucky. Semi structured qualitative interviews were conducted to obtain rich data about the experiences of study participants. Interviews were conducted until data saturation was achieved and overarching themes were identified from transcribed interviews using a six-phase thematic analysis. Five themes emerged including “I hate seeking healthcare”, “always related to weight”, “not listened to”, “morbid obesity is a derogatory term”, and “long term effects of weight bias”. Findings from this study clarify why the obese population does not consistently seek healthcare. The Health Belief Model states that if perceived or actual barriers outweigh the perceived benefits of care, then an individual will not seek medical consultation. The participants reported that they did not seek healthcare because weight bias was a perceived or actual barrier to healthcare. The potential social benefit of this study is the insight given into the experiences and perceptions of people who are classified as obese. This insight may aid healthcare professionals to adjust their practices to address implicit and explicit bias and better meet the needs of people who are obese.

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