Lived experiences and unique psychosocial impacts following bariatric surgery in a publicly funded Australian tertiary hospital: a qualitative study

Objective Gain an understanding of the lived experiences and unique psychosocial impacts following bariatric surgery. Methods Qualitative study design, consisting of semi-structured interviews. Based on thematic analysis principles, transcripts were inductively coded. Results Fifteen participants were included; predominantly female (n = 9, 60%) and underwent Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (n =12, 80%), with a mean age of 57 years. Five themes were generated including 'Key Motivators to Undergo Bariatric Surgery', "Positive Changes", "Facing the Challenges", "Tackling Social Relationships", and "Skills to Move Forward". There were common health-related motivators to undergo surgery, yet psychosocial motivators were not reported. Patients reported positive changes post-operatively; though not exclusively. Challenges included being surprised by the rapid weight loss, a delayed identification of their new body, and new body image concerns. Participants reported using different sources of support for the different types of support needs and were required to navigate negative confrontations and perceived stigma. Skills to move forward included implementing strategies and behaviour change techniques along with adjusting their lifestyle, routine, and mindset. Conclusion Experiences and psychosocial challenges post-operatively are multifaceted. Tailoring services to address these challenges in both pre- and post-operative healthcare settings is recommended.