Implicit and explicit weight bias among healthcare professionals

Area of Science:

• Medical Sociology
• Health Psychology
• Public Health

Background:

• Weight bias in healthcare settings negatively impacts patient care and health outcomes.
• Implicit and explicit weight bias are measurable constructs impacting patient experiences.
• Previous research indicates the prevalence of weight bias, but large-scale data on healthcare professionals is limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the prevalence and trends of implicit and explicit weight bias among healthcare workers and non-healthcare workers.
• To compare levels of weight bias across different occupational groups, including diagnosing/treating practitioners.
• To examine gender differences and temporal changes in weight bias.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of over one million online survey responses from Project Implicit (2006-2022).
• Utilized Implicit Association Tests (IATs) to measure implicit bias.
• Employed self-report measures for explicit bias.

Main Results:

• Persistent implicit and explicit weight bias found across healthcare workers, other healthcare workers, and non-healthcare workers.
• Diagnosing and treating practitioners may exhibit higher levels of explicit weight bias.
• Men generally displayed more explicit negative attitudes toward individuals with obesity; explicit weight bias shows a decreasing trend over time.

Conclusions:

• Weight bias remains a significant issue within the healthcare system, affecting patient care.
• Targeted education for healthcare professionals on recognizing and mitigating weight bias is crucial.
• Interventions are needed to address implicit and explicit weight bias to improve health equity for patients with overweight and obesity.