“The second study, which followed 1,023 subjects who experienced a hospitalization that was considered avoidable, appeared in November’s Archives of Internal Medicine, published by the American Medical Association. The authors found that obese individuals, ages 25-64, were almost twice as likely to be hospitalized compared to normal-weight subjects. Obese people have the highest likelihood, about 24 percent, of being hospitalized when it could have been avoided.
Appropriate primary care could have prevented these hospitalizations, Ferraro said. However, those who are overweight or obese may not have sought regular care because of embarrassment or other issues related to their weight. This may suggest the need for primary-care providers to be more sensitive to the specific problems obese patients encounter.”
from http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071210163105.htm
Ok that a major DUH moment there.. but I am glad it is getting out into the media more I guess lol
Without even trying hard I can think of two medical conditions I sought help for, but did not receive help, which then advanced to medical emergencies and hospitalizations. So, yeah, when every problem we have gets blamed on our fat when we DO see a doctor, you bet we’re going to end up with more serious problems that get us hospitalized.
Gah.
Sorry, one more comment…
“This may suggest the need for primary-care providers to be more sensitive to the specific problems obese patients encounter.” Or, how about they just start treating the average, everyday problems we have too, instead of blaming us for them? So simple!
Yes, I must say that I actively avoid the doctor because of how I’m inevitably forced into a situation where my weight becomes the focus.
[...] you avoid going to the doctor? 2010 February 8 by bigliberty There’s a great post over at Fat and Sassy, linking a study which concludes fat people of a certain age are hospitalized [...]