Building Better Relationships

Obese people frequently feel shame about their size. It’s important that health care settings be safe havens where patients feel free to ask for assistance not only with weight management but a full spectrum of wellness issues. This module discusses areas where many obese patients have reported feeling stigmatized. They range from well-meaning but hurtful discussions of weight loss to the difficulty of finding an appropriate-sized chair in the waiting room. This module gives you the tools to look at your own practice and ask:

Am I providing a physical environment that accommodates larger patients?

How can I discuss lifestyle changes in a way that will make my patients feel cared for and motivated?

Contents
All documents are in PDF format.

Title Page
How to Talk about Weight with Patients
Patient Reports of Weight Bias
What Providers Can Do
Patient Centered Communication
Principles for Provider-Patient Interactions
BMI, Weight Bias, Provider’s Challenge
Motivational Interviewing Strategies
Motivational Interview Example Scripts
Toward Sensitive Treatment of Obese Patients
Medical Care for Obese Patients