Maciej Walędziak1, Anna Różańska-Walędziak2, Michał Pędziwiatr3, Jacek Szeliga4, Monika Proczko-Stepaniak5, Michał Wysocki3, Tomasz Stefura3, Piotr Major3. 1. Department of General, Oncological, Metabolic and Thoracic Surgery, Military Institute of Medicine, 04-141 Warsaw, Poland. 2. 2nd Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical University of Warsaw, 00-315 Warsaw, Poland. 3. 2nd Department of General Surgery, Jagiellonian University Medical College, 31-008 Kraków, Poland. 4. Department of General, Gastroenterological, and Oncological Surgery, Collegium Medicum Nicolaus Copernicus University, 85-067 Torun, Poland. 5. Department of General, Endocrine and Transplant Surgery, Medical University of Gdansk, 80-210 Gdansk, Poland.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: The aim of the study was to investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on bariatric care from the patients' point of view. The COVID-19 pandemic has perturbed the functioning of healthcare systems around the world and led to changes in elective surgical care, with bariatric procedures being postponed until the end of pandemic. There is no data in the literature about the effect of a new epidemiological situation on bariatric patients. METHODS: The study was designed as an online survey containing multiple open questions about bariatric care during the COVID-19 pandemic. The survey was conducted among pre- and postoperative bariatric patients. RESULTS: Out of 800 respondents, 74.53% felt anxiety about their health in regard to the present epidemiologic state. Some (72.25%) were aware of the fact that obesity was an important risk factor that could impair the course of the COVID-19 disease. Almost 30% of respondents admitted having put on weight, significantly more in the group of preoperative patients (43.8% vs 22.69%; p < 0.001). Only 20.92% of patients had a possibility of continuing direct bariatric care; 67.3% of patients had an opportunity of remote contact with a bariatric specialist, including online consultations, teleconsultations and social media meetings. CONCLUSIONS: Limited access to medical care and quarantine lockdown may result in a deterioration of long-time operation outcomes and lower weight losses. Patients should be encouraged to profit from online consultations with specialists and telemedicine to reduce the negative effects of the pandemic on their health.
INTRODUCTION: The aim of the study was to investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on bariatric care from the patients' point of view. The COVID-19 pandemic has perturbed the functioning of healthcare systems around the world and led to changes in elective surgical care, with bariatric procedures being postponed until the end of pandemic. There is no data in the literature about the effect of a new epidemiological situation on bariatric patients. METHODS: The study was designed as an online survey containing multiple open questions about bariatric care during the COVID-19 pandemic. The survey was conducted among pre- and postoperative bariatric patients. RESULTS: Out of 800 respondents, 74.53% felt anxiety about their health in regard to the present epidemiologic state. Some (72.25%) were aware of the fact that obesity was an important risk factor that could impair the course of the COVID-19 disease. Almost 30% of respondents admitted having put on weight, significantly more in the group of preoperative patients (43.8% vs 22.69%; p < 0.001). Only 20.92% of patients had a possibility of continuing direct bariatric care; 67.3% of patients had an opportunity of remote contact with a bariatric specialist, including online consultations, teleconsultations and social media meetings. CONCLUSIONS: Limited access to medical care and quarantine lockdown may result in a deterioration of long-time operation outcomes and lower weight losses. Patients should be encouraged to profit from online consultations with specialists and telemedicine to reduce the negative effects of the pandemic on their health.
Authors: Alicja Dudek; Michał Wysocki; Maciej Walędziak; Jacek Szeliga; Monika Proczko-Stepaniak; Michał Pędziwiatr; Piotr Major Journal: BMC Surg Date: 2021-03-15 Impact factor: 2.102
Authors: Daniel de Luis; Olatz Izaola; David Primo; Emilia Gómez; Beatriz Torres; Juan José López Gómez; David Pacheco Journal: Obes Surg Date: 2021-02-01 Impact factor: 4.129
Authors: Sílvia Félix; Marta de Lourdes; Inês Ribeiro; Bruna Cunha; Sofia Ramalho; Ana R Vaz; Paulo P P Machado; Eva Conceição Journal: Curr Psychol Date: 2021-02-28
Authors: Sarah E Messiah; Maduri Uppuluri; Luyu Xie; Jeffrey N Schellinger; M Sunil Mathew; Ashley Ofori; Sachin Kukreja; Benjamin Schneider; Samuel H Dunn; Anna Tavakkoli; Jaime P Almandoz Journal: Obes Surg Date: 2021-05-27 Impact factor: 4.129