a Faculty of Health Sciences , Simon Fraser University , Burnaby , British Columbia , Canada.
b Department of Geography , Simon Fraser University , Burnaby , British Columbia , Canada.
Int J Qual Stud Health Well-being. 2019 Dec;14(1):1613874. doi: 10.1080/17482631.2019.1613874.
This article explores first-hand accounts of Canadian bariatric patients' experiences of seeking and obtaining weight loss surgery abroad through the practice of medical tourism. While researchers have identified many of the challenges and associated health and safety risks imposed on patients by engaging in medical tourism generally, little is known about the specific challenges experienced by Canadians seeking bariatric surgery abroad.
To better understand these challenges, we conducted thematic analysis on interviews conducted with 20 former Canadian bariatric tourists.
Our analysis illuminated three key challenges Canadians face in obtaining bariatric care: (1) stigma and isolation from friends, family and medical professionals; (2) self-directed navigation of domestic and destination health care systems; and (3) challenges with obtaining adequate follow-up care in Canada.
While these challenges identified by participants may occur in other forms of medical tourism, it appears that these challenges are occurring simultaneously in cases of bariatric tourism by Canadians. These challenges appear to work in conjunction to heighten the health and safety risks potential Canadian bariatric tourists may be exposed to. Unless structural changes occur to increase domestic availability of bariatric surgery, Canadians are likely to continue seeking this care abroad.
本文通过医疗旅游实践，探讨了加拿大肥胖患者寻求和接受国外减肥手术的第一手经验。虽然研究人员已经确定了一般参与医疗旅游给患者带来的许多挑战和相关的健康及安全风险，但对于在国外寻求减肥手术的加拿大人所经历的具体挑战知之甚少。
为了更好地了解这些挑战，我们对 20 名曾接受过减肥手术的加拿大游客进行了主题分析访谈。
我们的分析揭示了加拿大人在获得减肥护理方面面临的三个主要挑战：（1）来自朋友、家人和医疗专业人员的耻辱感和孤立感；（2）在国内和目的地医疗系统中自主导航；（3）在加拿大获得足够后续护理的挑战。
虽然参与者确定的这些挑战可能以其他形式的医疗旅游出现，但似乎这些挑战同时出现在加拿大的减肥旅游案例中。这些挑战似乎同时发生，增加了加拿大减肥游客可能面临的健康和安全风险。除非结构发生变化，增加国内减肥手术的可及性，否则加拿大患者可能会继续在国外寻求这种治疗。
