Determination of the beliefs and attitudes of sakarya university medical school students towards obese persons and associated factors

INTRODUCTION AND AIM: Obesity, considered as a chronic disease by World Health Organisation (WHO), is a public health problem with a rapidly increasing prevalence. It has both negative physical and psychological effects. Stigmatization, bias or discrimination play major roles on the psychological problems seen in obese persons. Negative behaviours and beliefs towards obese persons, especially by health providers may prevent obese persons to receive health service. We aimed to determine the beliefs and attitudes of medical students, who will service obese persons in future worklife,towards obese persons and associated factors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This descriptive study was conducted between June 2019 and June 2020 in Sakarya University Medical School, Sakarya after obtaining ethical approvement. A survey containing 43 questions, was implemented to students receiving education in all classes of medical school to determine sociodemographic features, beliefs and attitudes towards obese persons and associated factors. In the survey, BAOP scale evaluate beliefs about obese persons, ATOP scale evaluates attitudes towards obese persons. While a high score on the BAOP scale indicates a positive belief about obese persons and refers that the participant strongly believes that obesity is an uncontrollable condition, a high score on ATOP scale indicates positive attitudes towards obese persons. Data was statistically analyzed with Pearson and Spearman tests, student t and one-way ANOVA tests, Mann Whitney U and Kruskal Wallis tests by using SPSS 20.0 statistical programme. P<0,05 was accepted as statistically significant. RESULTS: Of the 677 participants, 317 (46.8%) were men and 360 (53.2%) were women, with an average age of 22.3 ± 2.0. The mean score of the BAOP scale was 18.30 ± 5.962, and the ATOP scale was 62.33 ± 12.494. A weak, positive significant correlation was found between the BAOP scale score and the ATOP scale score (r = 0,18; p <0,001). BAOP scale scores in women (p = 0.024); ATOP scale scores in males (p = 0.044) were significantly lower than the opposite gender. A significant difference was found between the students' ages and classes in terms of their BAOP scale scores (p = 0.015, p = 0.012, respectively), and no significant difference was found in terms of ATOP scale scores (p = 0.983, p = 0.393, respectively). A weak, significant negative correlation was found between the BAOP scale scores and the age of the participants (r = -0.077, p = 0.046). However, no significant relationship was found between ATOP scale scores and age (r = -0.013, p = 0.742) and between both BAOP (r = -0.071, p = 0.066) and ATOP scale scores (r = + 0.020, p = 0.600) and the classes of the participants. ATOP scores of students whose mothers were at university or higher education level were found to be significantly lower than other education levels (p = 0.025). ATOP scores of those who used alcohol or who have used in the past were found to be significantly lower than those who never used (p = 0.048). BAOP scale scores of those who are not satisfied with their current weight, ATOP scale scores of those who had been exposed to negative words and behaviors due to their weight and those who did not have obese persons in their family were found to be significantly lower (p = 0.007, p = 0.006, p = 0.029, respectively). 171 of the participants (25.3%) stated that they were directly biased towards obese individuals and their ATOP scores were found to be significantly lower (p = 0.000). BAOP score was significantly lower in the students who said "There is a relationship between obesity and chronic diseases" and "obesity shortens life span" (p = 0.009, p = 0.000, respectively). CONCLUSION: The data in our study show that medical faculty students' beliefs and attitudes towards obese individuals are not negative. Female gender, age, dissatisfaction with current weight, knowing the releationship of average life expectancy and chronic disease relationship with obesity and the calculation of BMI were associated with negative beliefs, while male gender, having a mother with a university and higher education level, having a habit of alcohol use, being exposed to negative words and behaviours due to weight, having a negative attitude towards obese people, not having an obese family member were found to be associated with negative attitude towards obese persons. According to the results of our study, although negative beliefs and attitudes were not detected considering the average of all participants, when evaluated according to some related factors, it is recommended that the education curriculum of medical school students who are physician candidates, should include education content to reduce anti-obesity beliefs and attitudes in addition to obesity knowledge. Keywords: Obesity, Belief, Attitude, Medical school students, BAOP scale, ATOP scale