People with severe obesity are likely to face discrimination when seeking health care, with many clinics outright refusing to see them, a new study says.
About 2 in 5 (41%) of clinics refused to schedule an appointment for a hypothetical patient weighing 465 pounds, researchers wrote in findings published Monday in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
"We've reached our limit for bariatric patients at this site," one receptionist with an orthopedic surgeon's office said without providing a reason, researchers report.
Further, more than half (52%) lacked the facilities or equipment that could meet the basic standards of care for patients with a body mass index of 60 or greater, results show. Severe obesity is categorized as a BMI of 40 or greater, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. BMI is an estimate of body fat based on height and weight.
For example, they didn't have exam tables or chairs with a high enough weight limit, sufficiently wide hallways and doorways, or large enough gowns.
