Adherence to health care appointments is associated with weight loss following bariatric surgery

Authors

Kellie Martens, Henry Ford HealthFollow
Bethany Pester, Henry Ford HealthFollow
Leah Hecht, Henry Ford HealthFollow
Shannon Clark, Henry Ford HealthFollow
Aaron Hamann, Henry Ford HealthFollow
Arthur M. Carlin, Henry Ford HealthFollow
Lisa R. Miller-Matero, Henry Ford HealthFollow

Recommended Citation

Martens K, Pester B, Hecht L, Clark S, Hamann A, Carlin A, and Miller-Matero L. Adherence to health care appointments is associated with weight loss following bariatric surgery. Surg Obes Relat Dis 2019; 15(10):S174.

Document Type

Conference Proceeding

Publication Date

10-2019

Publication Title

Surg Obes Relat Dis

Abstract

Background: Many bariatric surgery programs consider adherence to health care appointments necessary to provide optimal care and evaluate long-term outcomes. This study examined the relationship between pre- and post-operative adherence to appointments and weight loss. Methods: Participants (N=210) included patients who underwent sleeve gastrectomy or Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. A retrospective chart review was used to determine percentage of canceled, “no-showed,” and completed appointments two years prior to and 1 year after bariatric surgery. Weight outcomes at 1-year (+/-3 months), including change in BMI (ΔBMI), percent total weight loss (%TWL), and percent excess weight loss (%EWL) were calculated. Results: Participants were predominantly female (84.3%), Caucasian (49%) or African American (42.4%), with a mean age of 46 years and pre-surgical BMI of 46. Approximately half (45.7%) of patients did not attend their 1-year surgical follow-up appointment. A higher rate of canceled post-operative bariatric appointments was related to lower ΔBMI (β= -.17, p=.029) and %TWL (β= -.17, p=.037), but not %EWL. Pre-operative “no-shows” were inversely related to completed post-operative bariatric appointments (β= -.14, p=.045) and predicted more post-operative “no-shows” (β=.34, p<.001). Younger age predicted higher rates of “no-shows” (β= -.22, p=.002) and fewer completed appointments (β=.14, p=.049). Conclusions: There are high rates of nonadherence to bariatric appointments in the year after surgery. Pre-surgical nonadherence to health care appointments may predict nonadherence to post-surgical bariatric appointments. Future research could examine ways to improve retention of bariatric patients as post-operative nonadherence to appointments may be associated with less weight loss.

Volume

15

Issue

10

First Page

S174