An investigation of the prejudice and stigmatization levels of nursing students towards obese individuals

Aim: The study was conducted to determine the prejudice and stigmatization levels of nursing students towards obese individuals. Design and methods: This descriptive and correlational study was conducted in Turkey in 2021 with 233 students in the nursing department of a state university. The data were collected using the Information Form, GAMS-27 Obesity Prejudice Scale, and the Stigma Scale. Independent sample t-test, One-way ANOVA, Pearson correlation and multiple regression analysis were used to analyze the data. Results: The findings suggest that the students are prone to prejudice and their tendency to stigmatize is high. It was found that the difference between the student's year of study and obesity prejudices, and between family types and stigmatization levels was significant. It was determined that the stigmatization levels of the students were a determining factor on the obesity prejudice levels and there was a weak positive correlation between them. Conclusions: Nursing students are prone to showing prejudice towards obese individuals and their stigmatization levels are high. In this respect, it is recommended that prejudice and stigmatization issues regarding obesity should be included in the nursing curriculum before students start their professional life.