Self-reported access to and quality of healthcare for diabetes: Do the severely obese experience equal access?
Dixon,J.B. Browne,J.L. Rice,T. Jones,K. Pouwer,F. Speight,J.
Dixon,J.B.
Browne,J.L.
Rice,T.
Jones,K.
Pouwer,F.
Speight,J.
Abstract
Background: Given reported pejorative views that health professionals have about patients who are severely obese, we examined the self-reported views of the quality and availability of diabetes care from the perspective of adults with type 2 diabetes (T2DM), stratified by body mass index (BMI). Methods: 1795 respondents to the Diabetes MILES - Australia national survey had T2DM. Of these, 530 (30%) were severely obese (BMI ≥35 kg/m2) and these participants were matched with 530 controls (BMI <35 kg/m2). Data regarding participants' self-reported interactions with health practitioners and services were compared. Results: Over 70% of participants reported that their general practitioner was the professional they relied on most for diabetes care. There were no betweengroup differences in patient-reported availability of health services, quality of interaction with health practitioners, resources and support for selfmanagement, or access to almost all diabetes services. Discussion: Participants who were severely obese did not generally report greater difficulty in accessing diabetes care.
Description
Date
2014
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Research Projects
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Keywords
SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being
Citation
Dixon, J B, Browne, J L, Rice, T, Jones, K, Pouwer, F & Speight, J 2014, 'Self-reported access to and quality of healthcare for diabetes : Do the severely obese experience equal access? ', Australian Family Physician, vol. 43, no. 8, pp. 522-526.