TY - JOUR
T1 - Medical Student Weight Bias
T2 - the Relationship of Attitudinal Constructs Related to Weight Management Counseling
AU - Eno, Cassie A.
AU - Guck, Thomas P.
AU - Soleymani, Taraneh
AU - Ashe, Karen M.
AU - Churchill, Linda C.
AU - Crawford, Sybil L.
AU - Frisard, Christine F.
AU - Hayes, Rashelle B.
AU - Martin, Leslee
AU - Margo, Katherine L.
AU - Pbert, Lori
AU - Pendharkar, Jyothi A.
AU - Shaw, Monica Ann
AU - Ockene, Judith K.
N1 - Funding Information:
Funding Research reported in this publication was supported by the National Cancer Institutes of Health under Award 5R01CA194787. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.
Funding Information:
Acknowledgements The MSWeight program is supported by a grant from NCI. The authors thank the MSWeight investigators and staff, the participating medical schools and students, and the weight bias consultant for their dedication and making this study possible. We acknowledge all school site PIs, research coordinators, evaluators, research assistants, support staff, and the participating medical students and course directors who have implemented and participated in the study thus far.
Funding Information:
The MSWeight program is supported by a grant from NCI. The authors thank the MSWeight investigators and staff, the participating medical schools and students, and the weight bias consultant for their dedication and making this study possible. We acknowledge all school site PIs, research coordinators, evaluators, research assistants, support staff, and the participating medical students and course directors who have implemented and participated in the study thus far.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2018, International Association of Medical Science Educators.
PY - 2018/6/1
Y1 - 2018/6/1
N2 - Obesity is a prevalent disease that is often a source of stigmatization. Weight bias has been documented in healthcare settings and associated with less physician time spent with patients, less patient-centered communication, and more patient delay or withdrawal from care. Weight bias is widespread in society and the healthcare field, including among medical students. This study examined the hypothesis that weight bias in medical students is related to negative attitudes toward weight management counseling (WMC), perceived WMC skills, and self-efficacy for WMC. A sample of 762 medical students during their core clerkship rotation (graduating class of 2017) from eight US medical schools completed questions related to weight bias, attitudes toward WMC, perceived WMC skills, and self-efficacy for WMC. Results indicated that medical students with more weight bias held more negative attitudes toward WMC, even after adjustment for age, gender, and intended medical specialty. Weight bias was not significantly related to perceived WMC skills or self-efficacy for WMC. Females had a more positive attitude toward WMC, but lower perceived WMC skills and self-efficacy for WMC than males. Males had significantly more weight bias and were less likely to choose primary care than females. Implications for medical education are discussed.
AB - Obesity is a prevalent disease that is often a source of stigmatization. Weight bias has been documented in healthcare settings and associated with less physician time spent with patients, less patient-centered communication, and more patient delay or withdrawal from care. Weight bias is widespread in society and the healthcare field, including among medical students. This study examined the hypothesis that weight bias in medical students is related to negative attitudes toward weight management counseling (WMC), perceived WMC skills, and self-efficacy for WMC. A sample of 762 medical students during their core clerkship rotation (graduating class of 2017) from eight US medical schools completed questions related to weight bias, attitudes toward WMC, perceived WMC skills, and self-efficacy for WMC. Results indicated that medical students with more weight bias held more negative attitudes toward WMC, even after adjustment for age, gender, and intended medical specialty. Weight bias was not significantly related to perceived WMC skills or self-efficacy for WMC. Females had a more positive attitude toward WMC, but lower perceived WMC skills and self-efficacy for WMC than males. Males had significantly more weight bias and were less likely to choose primary care than females. Implications for medical education are discussed.
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U2 - 10.1007/s40670-018-0546-1
DO - 10.1007/s40670-018-0546-1
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85062042041
VL - 28
SP - 327
EP - 333
JO - Medical Science Educator
JF - Medical Science Educator
SN - 2156-8650
IS - 2
ER -