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The Article in Brief
What I Wish My Doctor Really Knew: The Voices of Patients With Obesity
Christie Befort , and colleagues
Background "Obese" -- what a cruel word-- ,opens an essay written by a coalition of patients involved in a weight reduction medical trial. The essay channels the collective voice of a group of patients who were organized to advise the study.
What This Study Found The authors share the doubt, dread and anxiety they experience at doctors appointments--fearing judgement, prejudice and insensitivity--and in conversations with doctors around weight management and their health. They identify key limitations in how obesity is addressed in primary care visits and describe the components of more effective treatment plans. Finally, the patient advisory panel describes the competencies they would like to see from medical professionals: "If we had to summarize what we want providers to know...it is this: we want you to know how to look at us, to see each of us as a person."
