The Impact of a Bariatric Rehabilitation Service on Patient Outcomes

Summary

Obesity is a major health problem that is affecting more and more people's lives. One of the most successful treatments for obesity is weight loss surgery. Not all patients, however, lose the desired amount of weight, some regain weight and some have the surgery reversed. Interviews with patients and discussions with patient support groups indicate that many of the 'unsuccessful' patients feel unprepared for the operation and describe how although the surgery fixes their body it neglects their mind. They would therefore like to have more psychological support.

The present study aims to set up and evaluate a health psychology led bariatric rehabilitation service (BRS) and determine the impact of such a service on patient outcomes following surgery. The BRS would offer information, support and mentoring pre and post surgery and address psychological issues such as dietary control, self esteem, coping and emotional eating. It is predicted that a bariatric rehabilitation service would primarily improve weight loss following surgery but would also aid changes in other aspects of the patient's well being.

Obesity is a risk factor for a multitude of illnesses such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer. If effective, obesity surgery improves a patient's health and reduces their need for NHS care. If unsuccessful then the costs include not only subsequent NHS costs due to these other illnesses but also the costs of the unsuccessful operation and the emotional cost to the patient. The bariatric rehabilitation service should help to improve the effectiveness of surgery which in the longer term is likely to be cost effective.

This research is a direct response to the needs identified by patients and by offering a more comprehensive bariatric service the success and subsequent health and well being of obese patients should be improved.

Conditions

• Obesity
• Bariatric Surgery Candidate

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Health Psychology Intervention

The health psychology intervention will involve a bariatric rehabilitation service (BRS) which will involve those allocated to the intervention receiving usual care plus three 50 minute sessions with a health psychologist pre-operatively (1 week before surgery), perioperatively (before they are discharged from hospital) and at 3 month follow up.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Western Sussex Hospitals NHS Trust

  collaborator OTHER

• National Institute for Health Research, United Kingdom

  collaborator OTHER_GOV

• University of Surrey

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Jane Ogden, PhD · University of Surrey

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

SUPPORTIVE_CARE

Masking

NONE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2011-09-30

Primary Completion

2014-01-31

Completion

2014-03-31

Countries

• United Kingdom

Study Locations