Weight discrimination at the doctor’s office
According to a new article on CNN.com, being an overweight woman might cause you to receive sub-standard medical care.
Recent studies have found, if you are an overweight woman you:
- May have a tougher time getting health insurance or have to pay higher premiums
- Are at higher risk of being misdiagnosed
- Are more likely to receive inaccurate drug prescriptions
- Are less likely to find a fertility doctor who will help you get pregnant
- Are less likely to have cancer detected early and get effective treatment for it
In their defense, doctors say extra body fat can literally obscure some illnesses, including heart disease and different types of cancer. For instance, it’s more difficult to hear heart and lung sounds in an overweight patient.
Ultrasounds are also more difficult to interpret when a person has more than eight centimeters of subcutaneous fat because the beams can’t penetrate the tissue. For women, this is particularly relevant because ultrasound is used to diagnose uterine tumors and ovarian cysts and to evaluate health during pregnancy.
There’s no doubt that medical professionals need to take a hard look their individual prejudices that may be effecting how they care for overweight women. Neglecting heavy women means ignoring the obesity epidemic.
