Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41593615›Full record

ArticleBMC public health2026

Attitudes and beliefs of healthcare workers towards obese persons in occupied Palestinian territories: a cross-sectional study.

Sana Al-Aqqad, Nihal Natour, Amera Shaheen, Saja Elewi, Eman Shawahna, Sajeda Hamadi, Wafaa Najjar, Siwar Hajj, Hoor Abatli

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Article in BMC public health, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Sana Al-AqqadDivision of Nursing and Midwifery- Ibn Sina College for Health Professions, Nablus University for Vocational & Technical Education (NUVTE), P.O. Box 110, Nablus, West Bank, Palestine. sana.alaqqad@nu-vte.edu.ps.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7678-0136
Nihal NatourDepartment of Public Health, School of Medicine, An-Najah National University, Nablus, Palestine.
Amera ShaheenDepartment of Public Health, School of Medicine, An-Najah National University, Nablus, Palestine.
Saja ElewiFaculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, An-Najah National University, Nablus, Palestine.
Eman ShawahnaDepartment of Public Health, School of Medicine, An-Najah National University, Nablus, Palestine.
Sajeda HamadiDepartment of Public Health, School of Medicine, An-Najah National University, Nablus, Palestine.
Wafaa NajjarClinical Research in Health Science- Faculty of Graduate Studies, An-Najah National University, Nablus, Palestine.
Siwar HajjDepartment of Public Health, School of Medicine, An-Najah National University, Nablus, Palestine.
Hoor AbatliDepartment of Public Health, School of Medicine, An-Najah National University, Nablus, Palestine.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundObesity is a growing public health concern in Palestine and worldwide, associated with significant health risks and costs. Obesity stigma includes negative attitudes, stereotypes, and discrimination toward individuals based on their weight and is common in healthcare settings. This study aims to assess healthcare workers’ attitudes and beliefs toward patients with obesity in the occupied Palestinian territories.

methodsThis cross-sectional study was conducted among healthcare workers in hospitals and outpatient facilities in the occupied Palestinian territories. Attitudes toward obesity were assessed using the Attitudes Toward Obese Persons (ATOP-20) scale, while beliefs about obesity were measured using the Beliefs About Obese Persons (BAOP-8) scale.

resultsA total of 103 healthcare workers participated in the study (mean age: 32.1 ± 12.0 years; 60% female). Overall attitudes toward obesity were predominantly negative across professional roles. More than half of the participants attributed obesity to biological factors, lack of love, overeating, or food addiction. Female healthcare workers (-3.4 (-5.1, -1.7), p = 0.033) and obese participants (0.47 (0.31,0.63), p = 0.006) and the ones with BSc education (5.7 (3.1, 8.3), p = 0.029) demonstrated significantly more negative beliefs and less positive attitudes toward obesity (p < 0.05). In contrast, years of professional experience, department, and number of patients treated were not significantly associated with attitudes.

conclusionThe study suggests healthcare workers may hold unconscious weight biases, especially females with less education, due to misconceptions about obesity. This underscores the need for education and awareness programs to reduce bias, promote understanding, and support compassionate, patient-centered care.

Indexed as

Attitude of Health PersonnelHealth PersonnelObesityAdultCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHealth Knowledge, Attitudes, PracticeHumansMaleMiddle AgedMiddle EastSurveys and QuestionnairesYoung AdultAttitudesBeliefsHealthcare workersObesityStigmaWeight

Identifiers

PMID41593615
PMCPMC12918067

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.