Patient's experience of life after weight loss surgery: Psychological adjustment

Jumbe, Sandra; Meyrick, Jane; Harcourt, Diana

Abstract

Background: Little is known about the psychological impact weight loss surgery has on people’s life.1 A recent systematic review in this area showed some persisting disordered psychosocial wellbeing after the procedure when compared to control groups, especially after longer term follow up typically beyond 4 years.2 This highlighted potential need for psychological support and more research on long term psychological wellbeing after weight loss surgery. Even clearer from the review was the lack of patient perspective on the lived experience of having weight loss surgery which left a gap in knowledge around their needs following the procedure. For that reason, it was felt generating detailed information of the postoperative weight loss surgery experience would be useful to provide health professionals evidence on this patient group’s psychological wellbeing after weight loss surgery, their stance on the need for psychological support, and if relevant, what their ideal psychological support would be.

Study aim: To explore people’s long term life experiences after weight loss surgery by discussing their perceived benefits and limitations of having the procedure, and whether their expectations were realised.

Methods: Ten individuals who had weight loss surgery between 2 and 6 years ago were recruited within an NHS bariatric surgery service through purposeful sampling and individually interviewed by the researcher. The semi-structured interviews were subsequently transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis.

• Presentation Conference Type: Poster
• Conference Name: Appearance Matters 7 Conference
• Start Date: Jun 28, 2016
• End Date: Jun 30, 2016
• Acceptance Date: May 1, 2016
• Publication Date: Jan 1, 2016
• Deposit Date: Jun 27, 2016
• Publicly Available Date: Jul 1, 2016
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Keywords: weight loss, surgery, psychological adjustment
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/920358
• Publisher URL: http://www1.uwe.ac.uk/hls/research/appearanceresearch/events/appearancemattersconference.aspx
• Additional Information: Title of Conference or Conference Proceedings : Appearance Matters 7
• Contract Date: Jun 27, 2016