The psychology of bariatric patient: what replaces obesity? A qualitative research with Brazilian women.
BACKGROUND
Obesity has serious implications on a woman's quality of life and body image. We propose a qualitative investigation aimed at understanding the postoperative significance of bariatric surgery for women suffering from morbid obesity and how these factors influence the outcomes, with an emphasis on body image and on the possible psychological complications that may jeopardize the operation's success.


METHODS
This study uses a clinical qualitative method, through a semidirected interview with open-ended questions in an intentional sample, closed by saturation, with seven women operated in a period of 1.5-3 years, following the definition of emergent categories and qualitative content analysis.


RESULTS
Bariatric surgery is a procedure that brings about rapid physical, social, and emotional changes, and it is seen by patients as a possibility of being reinstated and accepted socially. The reencounter with the feminine body after surgery is experienced as a means of reinstatement but also with a feeling of defenselessness, which may lead to the development of phobic symptoms. Imbalance in family and conjugal relationships may be factors that discourage the continuation of the treatment. The patient sees the skin folds, flaccidity, and the scars as therapeutic failures, which can lead to a constant quest for plastic surgery.


CONCLUSIONS
We observe the necessity of studies that allow the health team to identify those aspects of a patient's psychological makeup which would be expected to improve or worsen their prognosis and to provide the necessary preoperative and postoperative psychosocial interventions.
Magdaleno
Ronis
R
Department of Medical Psychology and Psychiatry, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas-UNICAMP, Rua Padre Almeida 515, sala 14, Campinas, Brazil. ronism@uol.com.br
Chaim
Elinton Adami
EA
Pareja
José Carlos
JC
Turato
Egberto Ribeiro
ER
D000328:Adult; D050110:Bariatric Surgery; D001828:Body Image; D001938:Brazil; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009767:Obesity, Morbid / Q000523:psychology* / Q000601:surgery; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012934:Social Isolation