Partnering with People with Lived Experience to Address Epistemic Injustice
Through an ongoing partnership with Obesity Canada and the Equity in Health Systems Lab, our team
has been conducting a program of research examining epistemic injustice in obesity care, the unfair
dismissal, devaluation, or marginalization of an individual’s knowledge and lived experience.
The first phase of this work explored how the knowledge of people living with obesity is recognized and valued within healthcare settings. Through a series of Critical Dialogues for Action involving healthcare providers and people living with obesity, we engaged in discussions about how patients’ perspectives are heard and integrated into care. These conversations examined key issues including weight stigma and bias, trust and relationship-building, and the influence of the social determinants of health on clinical interactions. Findings from this phase revealed that epistemic injustice occurs across multiple levels of the healthcare system, including individual, interpersonal, and organizational contexts, and can undermine the development of safe, effective, and collaborative patient–provider relationships.
Despite ongoing advocacy, research, and policy efforts, obesity continues to be widely misunderstood as a matter of personal responsibility and is inconsistently recognized and treated as a chronic disease. Building on our initial findings, the second phase of this partnership will examine how epistemic injustice shapes the conceptualization and implementation of effective chronic disease management strategies for obesity in Canada. Through this work, we aim to advance understanding of the structural and relational factors that influence obesity care and support more equitable, patient-centered approaches to treatment and policy.
Vision for Impact
This research will allow for a better understanding of how epistemic injustice shapes the relationship between HCPs and PLWO is essential for enabling productive clinical relationships, and therefore chronic disease management approaches to obesity care.
Funding
This work is generously funded by the Canadian Institute of Health Research (CIHR).
Thank you for your interest in our research. If you would like to learn more about our work and publications, or have any questions or comments, we welcome the opportunity to connect with you.
