Your patient is a person: A narrative medical approach to weight discrimination in medicine

Abstract

Several studies have established the prevalence of discrimination upon the basis of weight in healthcare; however, these studies lack the element of human experience that makes addressing the issue vital to both individual and public health. Narrative medicine is an interdisciplinary field that utilizes powerful narrative skills and creativity to address the needs of those who seek and deliver healthcare, promoting healing, and self-reflection for both patients and physicians. This paper seeks to re-evaluate key studies regarding the issue of weight discrimination in healthcare through the lens of narrative medicine. In doing so, it further integrates the aspect of human experience into the study of medical ethics in order to improve the lived experience of overweight individuals in medicine.