| Underdiagnosis of obesity at a community health center. | |
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MedLine Citation:
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PMID: 12583646 Owner: NLM Status: MEDLINE |
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
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BACKGROUND: Obesity is at epidemic proportions. This study examined the extent to which obesity is being diagnosed at a community health center residency-training site. Results were examined by provider type. Characteristics of patients with obesity diagnosed by primary care providers were compared with characteristics of patients determined to be obese by body mass index (BMI) calculation exclusively. METHODS: A cross-sectional design was used. Medical records of 465 adult patients were audited. Data collected included diagnosis of obesity, height and weight, demographics, and comorbidity. RESULTS: Of the 465 patients' charts audited, 83 contained a provider diagnosis of obesity, and 74 additional patients were determined to be obese by BMI calculation exclusively. Significant underdiagnosis occurred among all provider types (P = .036). Patients with a diagnosis of obesity had significantly higher BMI scores (38.4 vs 34.4, P = .002). Obesity was more likely to be diagnosed in female than in male patients (P = .001). Differences related to age, insurance coverage, and comorbidity were not significant. CONCLUSIONS: Obesity was found to be an underdiagnosed condition among all provider types. As evidenced by significantly higher BMI scores for provider-diagnosed obesity, the data suggest that the obesity diagnosis is made by appearance. The importance of teaching and modeling the use of BMI to diagnose obesity is underscored. |
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Authors:
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Celeste A Lemay; Suzanne Cashman; Judith Savageau; Kenneth Fletcher; Rebecca Kinney; Ellen Long-Middleton |
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Publication Detail:
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Type: Journal Article |
Journal Detail:
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Title: The Journal of the American Board of Family Practice / American Board of Family Practice Volume: 16 ISSN: 0893-8652 ISO Abbreviation: J Am Board Fam Pract Publication Date: 2003 Jan-Feb |
Date Detail:
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Created Date: 2003-02-13 Completed Date: 2003-05-15 Revised Date: 2004-11-17 |
Medline Journal Info:
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Nlm Unique ID: 8807505 Medline TA: J Am Board Fam Pract Country: United States |
Other Details:
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Languages: eng Pagination: 14-21 Citation Subset: IM |
Affiliation:
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Office of Community Programs, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, USA. |
Export Citation:
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| MeSH Terms | |
Descriptor/Qualifier:
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Adolescent Adult Aged Aged, 80 and over Body Mass Index Community Health Centers* Comorbidity Cross-Sectional Studies Female Humans Male Massachusetts Middle Aged Obesity / diagnosis*, epidemiology |
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