Monique Heijmans
Publicatie
Datum
07-08-2025
Patients’ experiences of treatment burden after bariatric surgery—an exploratory study of sex‑ and gender differences.
Bruto Winberg, E., Heijmans, M. Patients’ experiences of treatment burden after bariatric surgery—an exploratory study of sex‑ and gender differences. Obesity Surgery: 2025. 35(9), p. 3430-3442.
Lees online
Background
As treatment for severe obesity, bariatric surgery results in permanent changes to the body and requires lifestylechanges that are often life-long. The problems and challenges that people experience after bariatric surgery have not beensystematically studied in regard to sex- and gender differences, although literature suggests that sex differences do exist.
Methods
To study the problems and challenges that people experience after bariatric surgery, the innovative concept of treat-ment burden (TB) was used. TB goes beyond the experience of symptoms and looks at the broader challenges that patientsmay experience such as physical, technical, logistical, and sense-making challenges. Using a literature review of qualitativestudies as well as a short qualitative survey among Swedish patients that had undergone bariatric surgery, attributes of TBafter bariatric surgery were explored as well as possible sex- and gender differences.
Results
The results of the literature review showed that challenges related to making sense, mentally coping with the periodafter treatment, and technical aspects of coping with the aftermath of surgery were the most experienced among patients.Although quantitative studies showed clear sex- and gender differences in complaints and outcomes between men and women,these were not assessed in qualitative studies.
Conclusions
TB as experienced by patients after bariatric surgery is a multidimensional concept that asks for a holisticapproach of treatment after bariatric surgery. Although literature suggests sex- and gender differences in the personal experi-ences after surgery, more research is needed to be able to provide gender-sensitive care.
As treatment for severe obesity, bariatric surgery results in permanent changes to the body and requires lifestylechanges that are often life-long. The problems and challenges that people experience after bariatric surgery have not beensystematically studied in regard to sex- and gender differences, although literature suggests that sex differences do exist.
Methods
To study the problems and challenges that people experience after bariatric surgery, the innovative concept of treat-ment burden (TB) was used. TB goes beyond the experience of symptoms and looks at the broader challenges that patientsmay experience such as physical, technical, logistical, and sense-making challenges. Using a literature review of qualitativestudies as well as a short qualitative survey among Swedish patients that had undergone bariatric surgery, attributes of TBafter bariatric surgery were explored as well as possible sex- and gender differences.
Results
The results of the literature review showed that challenges related to making sense, mentally coping with the periodafter treatment, and technical aspects of coping with the aftermath of surgery were the most experienced among patients.Although quantitative studies showed clear sex- and gender differences in complaints and outcomes between men and women,these were not assessed in qualitative studies.
Conclusions
TB as experienced by patients after bariatric surgery is a multidimensional concept that asks for a holisticapproach of treatment after bariatric surgery. Although literature suggests sex- and gender differences in the personal experi-ences after surgery, more research is needed to be able to provide gender-sensitive care.
As treatment for severe obesity, bariatric surgery results in permanent changes to the body and requires lifestylechanges that are often life-long. The problems and challenges that people experience after bariatric surgery have not beensystematically studied in regard to sex- and gender differences, although literature suggests that sex differences do exist.
Methods
To study the problems and challenges that people experience after bariatric surgery, the innovative concept of treat-ment burden (TB) was used. TB goes beyond the experience of symptoms and looks at the broader challenges that patientsmay experience such as physical, technical, logistical, and sense-making challenges. Using a literature review of qualitativestudies as well as a short qualitative survey among Swedish patients that had undergone bariatric surgery, attributes of TBafter bariatric surgery were explored as well as possible sex- and gender differences.
Results
The results of the literature review showed that challenges related to making sense, mentally coping with the periodafter treatment, and technical aspects of coping with the aftermath of surgery were the most experienced among patients.Although quantitative studies showed clear sex- and gender differences in complaints and outcomes between men and women,these were not assessed in qualitative studies.
Conclusions
TB as experienced by patients after bariatric surgery is a multidimensional concept that asks for a holisticapproach of treatment after bariatric surgery. Although literature suggests sex- and gender differences in the personal experi-ences after surgery, more research is needed to be able to provide gender-sensitive care.
Methods
To study the problems and challenges that people experience after bariatric surgery, the innovative concept of treat-ment burden (TB) was used. TB goes beyond the experience of symptoms and looks at the broader challenges that patientsmay experience such as physical, technical, logistical, and sense-making challenges. Using a literature review of qualitativestudies as well as a short qualitative survey among Swedish patients that had undergone bariatric surgery, attributes of TBafter bariatric surgery were explored as well as possible sex- and gender differences.
Results
The results of the literature review showed that challenges related to making sense, mentally coping with the periodafter treatment, and technical aspects of coping with the aftermath of surgery were the most experienced among patients.Although quantitative studies showed clear sex- and gender differences in complaints and outcomes between men and women,these were not assessed in qualitative studies.
Conclusions
TB as experienced by patients after bariatric surgery is a multidimensional concept that asks for a holisticapproach of treatment after bariatric surgery. Although literature suggests sex- and gender differences in the personal experi-ences after surgery, more research is needed to be able to provide gender-sensitive care.