In the ever-evolving landscape of healthcare, navigating clinical environments can be a daunting experience for many, especially for individuals living with obesity. Despite strides in medical technology and patient-centered care models, a persistent undercurrent of weight-related stigma and systemic inequities continues to undermine the quality of care for this population. Recent research emerging from Drexel University’s College of Nursing and Health Professions offers a revolutionary blueprint for reimagining primary care visits tailored to the needs and dignity of people living with obesity, highlighting a path toward more inclusive, empathetic, and effective healthcare interactions.
The study, published in the prestigious journal Patient Education and Counseling, details a co-design and validation approach involving the collaboration between researchers, people living with obesity, and design specialists from the Obesity Action Coalition (OAC) and Thoughtform, an experience design studio. This partnership sought to deconstruct traditional patient-provider dynamics and rebuild the primary care visit from the ground up, emphasizing patient experience and respectful communication. Their innovative methodology foregrounded patient narratives, identifying critical barriers and facilitators to care at multiple touchpoints within the healthcare journey.
One of the striking revelations underscored by this research is the profound impact of interpersonal interactions on healthcare outcomes. Weight stigma—a form of social prejudice manifesting through explicit or subtle attitudes—disrupts trust and engagement in clinical settings. For many patients with obesity, experiences of judgment, blame, or being dismissed lead not only to negative emotions but tangible consequences such as healthcare avoidance. This behavioral response is linked to worse health outcomes and exacerbation of comorbidities, creating a vicious cycle of marginalization and neglect.
The first phase of the study entailed immersive qualitative investigations, where individuals living with obesity shared candid accounts of their healthcare encounters. These narratives illuminated challenges such as the lack of clinician empathy, physical environments poorly accommodating larger bodies, and constrained opportunities for meaningful dialogue. For instance, the absence of appropriately sized medical equipment, including blood pressure cuffs and examination gowns, was highlighted as a source of discomfort and alienation. Such environmental factors, often overlooked, serve as implicit signals regarding whose bodies are welcomed and valued in healthcare spaces.
In response, the OAC and Thoughtform teams, with ongoing participant input, designed a nine-panel storyboard visualization depicting an ideal primary care experience. This scenario centered patients as active agents, engaging with clinicians attuned to their individual needs beyond weight-centric assumptions. Core features included clinicians who listen attentively, show kindness without judgment, and address health concerns holistically. Importantly, the narrative validated the patients’ lived experiences, portraying a clinic environment where inclusivity and respect reverberate throughout every interaction.
The subsequent quantitative analysis phase involved surveying a cohort of 250 American adults living with obesity. Survey participants evaluated the idealized care model relative to their most recent real-life primary care visits. The reception to the co-designed model was overwhelmingly positive, with an average rating of 9.4 out of 10, signaling a strong patient endorsement of the proposed care framework. Respondents particularly valued mechanisms such as empathetic listening, non-blaming attitudes toward weight, and the referral to specialists who demonstrated respect and empathy. These preferences highlight a critical gap between current clinical practice norms and patient expectations, emphasizing the need for systemic transformation.
At the heart of this research is the recognition that addressing weight stigma requires more than isolated interventions; it mandates comprehensive cultural shifts within healthcare systems. Dr. Kristal Lyn Brown, the lead author and assistant professor at Drexel University, stresses that these results should catalyze providers and clinical staff to audit and amend procedural and attitudinal inadequacies. She calls for creating clinical environments that are not only physically accommodating but that also embody dignity and humanity in every touchpoint, from check-in reception to specialist referrals.
The study’s findings further articulate a foundational principle: treating individuals living with obesity with respect and empathy is not about resource-intensive overhauls but about reinstating basic human decency and common sense practices in healthcare delivery. This paradigm shift has profound implications, including encouraging consistent attendance to primary care appointments, overcoming healthcare avoidance behavior, and fostering trust between providers and patients. Such trust is indispensable for managing complex chronic conditions and achieving sustained health improvements.
Healthcare provider training also emerges as a pivotal focus area. The researchers advocate for explicit inclusion of weight stigma recognition and mitigation strategies within medical education curricula and continuing professional development. This educative process must encompass every layer of clinical staff, especially front office personnel, who are oftentimes the initial point of contact and instrumental in setting the tone for patient experience. Developing awareness and equitable communication skills at this level can dismantle barriers before clinical interactions even commence.
Additionally, the study sheds light on referral practices—a critical phase where patient experience can either be elevated or diminished. Ensuring that specialists to whom patients are directed hold similar values of respect and empathy is integral to maintaining the trajectory of positive care experiences. Patient-centered communication techniques that allow individuals to narrate their health stories without premature assumptions linked solely to weight can revolutionize diagnostic accuracy and therapeutic alliances.
From a systems perspective, this research exemplifies the power of embedding patient voices in healthcare redesign efforts. By elevating lived experiences to a central role in forming new care models, systemic changes become rooted in authenticity and relevance rather than abstract policy shifts. This co-design approach can be a blueprint for other marginalized groups facing healthcare disparities, offering a scalable framework to enhance equity and quality.
The broader impact of these findings is profound, signaling a necessary transformation in how obesity is conceptualized within healthcare. Moving away from simplistic weight-centric narratives toward multifactorial, compassionate models acknowledges the complexity of obesity as a chronic condition interwoven with social, environmental, and psychological factors. This holistic perspective is essential for improving patient outcomes and fostering a healthcare culture that honors diversity and individual dignity.
In conclusion, this groundbreaking study from Drexel University not only challenges entrenched biases but provides a compelling, empirically supported pathway toward more inclusive primary care visits for people living with obesity. As healthcare continues to grapple with disparities, integrating such patient-centered innovations will be vital for fostering trust, improving health engagement, and ultimately, delivering care that respects the humanity of every individual.
Subject of Research: Redesigning primary care experiences to reduce weight stigma and improve healthcare outcomes for people living with obesity through co-design methodologies and patient-centered communication.
Article Title: Reimagining primary care visits for people living with obesity: A Co-design and validation study
News Publication Date: 2-Jun-2025
Web References:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0738399125005579?via%3Dihub
References:
DOI: 10.1016/j.pec.2025.109190
Image Credits:
Photo credit: Obesity Action Coalition (OAC) and Thoughtform
Keywords:
Obesity, Health care, Doctor patient relationship, Health care delivery, Health care policy, Health counseling, Medical facilities, Personalized medicine, Body weight, Body size
