Patients' preferences for information in bariatric surgery.

BACKGROUND

The decision to undergo bariatric surgery is multifactorial and made both by patient and doctor. Information is of the utmost importance for this decision.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the bariatric surgery patient's preferences regarding information provision in bariatric surgery.

SETTING

A teaching hospital, bariatric center of excellence in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

METHODS

All patients who underwent a primary laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass or sleeve gastrectomy between September 2013 and September 2014 were approached by mail to participate. A questionnaire was used to elicit patient preferences for the content and format of information. Sociodemographic characteristics, clinicopathologic factors, and psychologic factors were explored as predictors for specific preferences.

RESULTS

Of the 356 eligible patients, 112 (31.5%) participated. The mean age was 49.2 (±10.7) years, and 91 (81.3%) patients were female. Patients deemed the opportunity to ask questions (96.4%) the most important feature of the consult, followed by a realistic view on expectations-for example, results of the procedure (95.5%) and information concerning the consequences of surgery for daily life (89.1%). Information about the risk of complications on the order of 10% was desired by 93% of patients; 48% desired information about lower risks (.1%). Only 25 patients (22.3%) desired detailed information concerning their weight loss after surgery.

CONCLUSION

Bariatric patients wished for information about the consequences of surgery on daily life, whereas the importance of information concerning complications decreased when their incidence lessened.