Ethical Issues Surrounding Weight Bias and Stigma in Healthcare

Authors

Wren B. Hand MSN, RN, The University of Alabama at BirminghamFollow
Jennifer C. Robinson PhD, RN, The University of Mississippi Medical CenterFollow
Eileen Creel DNS, RN, Southeastern Louisiana UniversityFollow

Abstract

With the recognition of obesity as a global epidemic (World Health Organization [WHO], 2012), there has been increased interest in the study of weight bias and stigmatization (Ashmore, Friedman, Reichmann, & Musante, 2008; Puhl, Schwartz, & Brownell, 2005). Weight bias is a highly prevalent form of discrimination, perhaps as common as racial bias (Shkolnikova, 2008). Occurring in a wide variety of settings, weight bias may produce adverse effects in social relationships, education, employment, and health care (Durso & Latner, 2008), with the result that obese or overweight persons are socially marginalized and stigmatized.

Recommended Citation

Hand, W. B., Robinson, J. C., & Creel, E. (2013). Ethical Issues Surrounding Weight Bias and Stigma in Healthcare. Journal of Health Ethics, 8(2). http://dx.doi.org/10.18785/ojhe.0802.04

DOI Link

https://doi.org/10.18785/ojhe.0802.04