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Nurses' attitudes toward obese persons and certain ethnic groups.
Perceptual and Motor Skills
|October 1, 1992
Summary
Healthcare professionals often hold negative views of obese patients. This study found significant differences in US and Canadian nurses
Area of Science:
- Social Psychology
- Nursing Studies
- Public Health
Background:
- Negative societal attitudes towards obesity are prevalent.
- These negative attitudes are often shared by healthcare professionals, potentially impacting patient care.
- Obesity is examined as a distinct form of prejudice within societal attitudes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the attitudes of United States (US) nurses towards obese individuals with those of Canadian nurses.
- To investigate the relationship between ethnic prejudice and prejudice towards obese individuals.
- To explore potential differences in nursing attitudes based on nationality.
Main Methods:
- A comparative study involving 67 US nurses and 107 Canadian nurses.
- Utilized questionnaires to assess attitudes toward obese persons.
- Examined correlations between ethnic prejudice and prejudice towards obese individuals.
Main Results:
- Significant differences in attitudes toward obese patients were observed between US and Canadian nurses.
- A moderate positive correlation (r = .53) was found between ethnic prejudice and prejudice towards obese individuals among US nurses, supporting the hypothesis.
- An unexpected finding revealed the Caucasian majority as a new target of ethnic prejudice.
Conclusions:
- National origin influences nurses' attitudes towards obese patients.
- Prejudice towards obese individuals is linked to ethnic prejudice, suggesting a common underlying bias.
- The emergence of the Caucasian majority as a target of ethnic prejudice warrants further investigation.