Weight Bias Interventions for Healthcare Professionals: An Integrative Review.

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Health Psychology
• Public Health

Background:

• Healthcare providers frequently exhibit weight bias, negatively impacting patient care.
• Weight bias in healthcare settings contributes to disparities and poorer health outcomes for individuals with obesity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify and evaluate interventions designed to reduce weight bias among practicing healthcare professionals.
• To synthesize evidence on the effectiveness of various strategies for mitigating weight bias in clinical practice.

Main Methods:

• An integrative review was conducted using the Whittemore and Knafl framework.
• Searches across five major databases (CINAHL, Embase, EBSCOhost, APA PsycINFO, Scopus) identified 16 relevant peer-reviewed articles.
• Study quality was assessed using Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Tools.

Main Results:

• Active learning methods were more effective than passive learning in reducing weight bias.
• Multicomponent interventions and theory-based approaches with repeated sessions demonstrated superior outcomes.
• Healthcare providers showed willingness to modify practices, with explicit attitudes being more amenable to change than implicit ones.

Conclusions:

• Weight bias mitigation among healthcare providers is achievable through targeted interventions.
• Effective strategies include active, repeated, and multicomponent learning approaches.
• Reducing provider weight bias can enhance patient-centered care for individuals with obesity.