THE RELATIONSHIP OF OBESITY TO THE FREQUENCY OF PELVIC EXAMINATIONS -DO PHYSICIAN AND PATIENT ATTITUDES MAKE A DIFFERENCE

Obese women are at higher risk for the development of both endometrial and ovarian carcinoma. Biochemical mechanisms represent documented ca usal factors but the role of psycho-social attitudes has received limi ted attention. This study examined the difference in the frequency of pelvic screening examinations between obese and non-obese women and th e effect of physician and patient attitudes toward obesity on examinat ion frequency. A total of 291 women subjects and 1316 physician subjec ts participated in this study. Data reported in this paper suggest tha t attitudes and behaviors are negatively influenced by weight. As subj ects' weight went up, negative opinions about their appearance and rel uctance to obtain pelvic examinations also increased while the likelih ood of having annual pelvic examinations decreased. A substantial mino rity (17%) and an overwhelming majority (83%) of physicians indicated they were reluctant to perform pelvic examinations on obese and reluct ant patients respectively. If physicians are more reluctant to perform pelvic examinations on obese and reluctant women and obese women are more reluctant to be examined, there may be a critical delay in detect ing adenocarcinomas of the female genital tract.