Susan: 
 
This sounds promising. From my own experiences as a  Psychologist and a 
patient...
 
Because so much information about medical treatments and  research is focused 
on the patient,  health  care providers don't always realize that every 
disease is a family disease. 
 
Physicians are often frustrated by "non-compliant" patients (a  description I 
despise) who don't do what they're told--losing weight, for  example. But 
losing weight means you have to change what you eat and that  decision alone can 
create profound spousal, family, cultural and  religious conflicts. 
 
Plus, successful weight loss can be psychologically  threatening to other 
family members who can't or don't want to lose weight,  or feel that their 
spouse's weight loss will threaten the marriage because  the spouse may now be more 
attractive to the opposite sex. Sometimes family  members can sabotage one's 
best efforts to lose weight and keep it off.  Obviously there's more to weight 
loss than telling patients to lose weight and  giving them nutritional 
handouts. 
 
If you can find patients willing to talk honestly about these  issues, you 
may be able to identify possible barriers to healthy behavior and  provide some 
possible solutions in a format that's more meaningful than just  another 
medical handout. 
 
Mark
 
 
Mark Hochhauser, Ph.D.
Readability Consultant
3344 Scott Avenue North
Golden Valley, MN  55422
Phone: 763-521-4672
Fax: 763-521-5069    
Cell: 612-281-1517
email: _MarkH38514 at aol.com_ (mailto:MarkH38514 at aol.com) 

 
 
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