Social and environmental drivers of health refer to conditions in which people live, work, and play that can influence health, functioning, and quality of life. Our research experts work to understand how these factors influence health outcomes and what system-level and individual-level changes can be implemented to improve patient outcomes and care, especially among those in our Maine communities.
Dr. Scharnetzki has recently developed a program of research that examines stigmatization as a social driver of weight-based exclusion in insurance coverage, an experience that affects many Mainers. This work is being done in collaboration with investigators at Northeastern University and the Obesity Action Coalition, a national non-profit that is dedicated to giving voice to individuals affected by obesity. where many individuals Dr. Scharnetzki and her team aim to develop a first-of-its-kind assessment of stigmatizing language in insurance coverage documents. By identifying, quantifying and characterizing the ways in which obesity stigma manifests in policies such as these, this team hopes they can provide the critically needed evidence to inform interventional strategies to mitigate obesity stigma in insurance coverage and have a positive downstream impact on patients’ ability to access care.
