TY - JOUR
T1 - The Use and Meaning of the Term Obesity in Rural Older Adults
T2 - A Qualitative Study
AU - Batsis, John A.
AU - Zagaria, Alexandra B.
AU - Brooks, Emma
AU - Clark, Matthew M.
AU - Phelan, Sean
AU - Lopez-Jimenez, Francisco
AU - Bartels, Stephen J.
AU - Rotenberg, Sivan
AU - Carpenter-Song, Elizabeth
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2020.
PY - 2021/4
Y1 - 2021/4
N2 - The term “obesity” is associated with societal stigma and discrimination. Eight individual semi-structured interviews and five focus groups with 29 community-dwelling, rural older adults with obesity, seven primary care clinicians, and four rural community leaders were completed using purposive and snowball sampling. Clinicians perceived that older adults are less affected by obesity stigma than younger adults, yet this was not observed by community leaders; however, older participants with obesity reported that they often felt ashamed and/or stigmatized because of their weight. There was also a disconnect between clinician and older adult understanding of obesity. For older adults with obesity, the word “obesity” was associated with negative connotations. Just as physiological aspects of obesity persist into older adulthood, so do psychological aspects, such as perceptions of stigma. The use of the word “obesity” in medical settings may hinder communication between clinician and older participants. Heightened awareness may change the dialogue around obesity.
AB - The term “obesity” is associated with societal stigma and discrimination. Eight individual semi-structured interviews and five focus groups with 29 community-dwelling, rural older adults with obesity, seven primary care clinicians, and four rural community leaders were completed using purposive and snowball sampling. Clinicians perceived that older adults are less affected by obesity stigma than younger adults, yet this was not observed by community leaders; however, older participants with obesity reported that they often felt ashamed and/or stigmatized because of their weight. There was also a disconnect between clinician and older adult understanding of obesity. For older adults with obesity, the word “obesity” was associated with negative connotations. Just as physiological aspects of obesity persist into older adulthood, so do psychological aspects, such as perceptions of stigma. The use of the word “obesity” in medical settings may hinder communication between clinician and older participants. Heightened awareness may change the dialogue around obesity.
KW - aging
KW - obesity
KW - older adult
KW - qualitative
KW - stigma
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U2 - 10.1177/0733464820903253
DO - 10.1177/0733464820903253
M3 - Article
C2 - 32065013
AN - SCOPUS:85079700522
SN - 0733-4648
VL - 40
SP - 423
EP - 432
JO - Journal of Applied Gerontology
JF - Journal of Applied Gerontology
IS - 4
ER -