 | The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
|
| The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
Annette Aalborg, DrPH, Divison of Research, Kaisier Permanente, 2000 Broadway, Oakland, CA 94613, (510) 891-3498, aea@dor.kaiser.org, Nancy Amy, PhD, Nutritional Sciences, University of California, Berkeley, 119 Morgan Hall, Berkeley, CA 94720, and Pat Lyons, RN, MA, Connections Women's Health Consulting Network, 416 Lester Ave, Oakland, CA 94606.
National preventive health guidelines recommend yearly screening for cervical cancer for adult women. Previous studies have reported that large women delay seeking health care which may impact health outcomes in this population. This study examined perceived barriers to access and quality care for large women seeking gynecological cancer screening from the perspective of both patients and providers. A community advisory group assisted with study design, implementation and interpretation of findings. Data collection included conducting nine focus groups among the target population of African-American and Caucasian women, age 40-60,and administering surveys to a community sample of 500 women and 130 providers. Key findings include that as BMI increased, the percentage of women who reported delaying seeking health care because of weight increased. About 20% of the women with BMI’s in the 25-35 range reported weight was a barrier to seeking health care, whereas 80% of the women with BMI’s of 55 or greater reported that weight was a barrier to receiving health care. Principal barriers included negative attitude of providers,unsolicited weight loss advice, embarrassment about being weighed, and physical environment/equipment barriers,e.g., small size gowns, exam tables. Health care providers reported having insufficient training for examining and caring for large patients and inadequate resources for providing weight-related advice for large women. Study participants reported specific strategies to improve access and quality of care for large women that could be shared with other women through health education materials and approaches. Improvements in educational and training programs for health care providers and modifications in the physical environment could improve quality of care for large women.
Learning Objectives:
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.