Understanding bariatric patients' experiences of self-management post-surgery: A qualitative study

Although most bariatric patients achieve significant weight loss and improvements in both physical and mental health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in the short-term, there is wide variability in weight and long-term HRQoL outcomes. The role of bariatric patients' self-management style in explaining variability in long-term outcomes is unclear. This qualitative study examined bariatric patients' self-management experiences after bariatric surgery in relation to long-term outcomes. A qualitative study was conducted using semi-structured individual interviews with post-surgery patients (n = 23) at a Canadian bariatric surgery program. A constant comparative approach was used to systematically analyse the data and identify overarching themes. Variation in patients' experiences and follow-up time were the two primary units of analysis. Patients were predominantly female (n = 19; 82.6%) and had a mean age of 50 ± 8.49 years. The median time post-surgery was 2 years (range: 6 months-7 years). Three distinct phases described the process of self-management post-bariatric surgery: (1) rediscovering self-esteem and confidence in one's ability to self-manage (1-month to 1.5-years post-surgery), (2) achieving weight maintenance and addressing emotion dysregulation (1.5-3-years post-surgery) and (3) embracing a flexible balanced lifestyle (beyond 3-years). Bariatric surgery patients experience distinct challenges relative to their post-surgery time course. Facilitating access to interprofessional bariatric care after surgery allowed patients to acquire the self-management knowledge and skills necessary to address challenges to following the bariatric guidelines in the long-term.