Doctors and patients' perspectives on obesity. A Q-methodology study

Area of Science:

• Medical Sociology
• Health Psychology
• Public Health

Background:

• Obesity is frequently accompanied by stigma and discrimination.
• Healthcare providers must adopt a professional, non-stigmatizing approach to patient care.
• Effective obesity treatment hinges on a trusting doctor-patient relationship built on mutual understanding.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate patient and general practitioner (GP) perspectives on obesity.
• To utilize Q-methodology for quantitative analysis of qualitative data on obesity viewpoints.

Main Methods:

• Employed Q-methodology with 24 patients with obesity and 24 GPs.
• Participants ranked 48 statements about obesity on a scale from -5 (disagree) to +5 (agree).
• Factor analysis identified dominant viewpoints; six patients provided qualitative explanations.

Main Results:

• Identified three patient factors: acknowledging healthy lifestyle importance yet feeling mistreated, decreased quality of life without blaming healthcare, and no perceived need for treatment or impaired quality of life.
• Identified three GP factors: understanding patients with perceived insufficient healthcare, viewing obesity as primarily a lifestyle issue with potential hereditary links, and believing obesity is treatable but challenging.
• Revealed significant diversity in viewpoints on obesity among both patients and GPs.

Conclusions:

• Obesity viewpoints differ substantially between patients and GPs, and within these groups.
• Some GPs perceive obesity as a lifestyle issue rather than a chronic disease.
• Aligning patient and doctor viewpoints on obesity can enhance treatment effectiveness and patient satisfaction.