Health status, quality of life, and satisfaction of patients awaiting multidisciplinary bariatric care.
BACKGROUND
Protracted, multi-year wait times exist for bariatric care in Canada. Our objective was to examine wait-listed patients' health status and perceptions regarding the consequences of prolonged wait times using a cross-sectional study design nested within a prospective cohort.


METHODS
150 consecutive consenting subjects wait-listed for multi-disciplinary bariatric assessment in a population-based medical/surgical bariatric program were surveyed. Health status was measured using a visual analogue scale (VAS). A Waiting List Impact Questionnaire (WLIQ) examined employment, physical stress, social support, frustration, quality of life, and satisfaction with care. Multivariable linear regression analysis adjusted for age, sex and BMI identified independent predictors of lower VAS scores.


RESULTS
136 (91%) subjects were women, mean age was 43 years (SD 9), mean BMI was 49.4 (SD 8.3) kg/m2 and average time wait-listed was 64 days (SD 76). The mean VAS score was 53/100 (SD 22). According to the WLIQ, 47% of subjects agreed/strongly agreed that waiting affected their quality of life, 65% described wait times as 'concerning' and 81% as 'frustrating'. 86% reported worsening of physical symptoms over time. Nevertheless, only 31% were dissatisfied/very dissatisfied with their overall medical care. Independent predictors of lower VAS scores were higher BMI (beta coefficient 0.42; p = 0.03), unemployment (13.7; p = 0.01) and depression (10.3; p = 0.003).


CONCLUSIONS
Patients wait-listed for bariatric care self-reported very impaired health status and other adverse consequences, attributing these to protracted waits. These data may help benchmark the level of health impairment in this population, understand the physical and mental toll of waiting, and assist with wait list management.


BACKGROUND
Clinicaltrials.gov NCT00850356.
Department of Medicine, University of Alberta, 2F1,26 Walter C, Mackenzie Health Sciences Centre, 8440-112th Street, Edmonton, AB T6G 2B7, Canada. rpadwal@ualberta.ca
Raj S
RS
Padwal
Sumit R
SR
Majumdar
Scott
S
Klarenbach
Daniel W
DW
Birch
Shahzeer
S
Karmali
Linda
L
McCargar
Konrad
K
Fassbender
Arya M
AM
Sharma
D000328:Adult; D000416:Alberta; D049088:Bariatrics / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006302:Health Services Research; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D033183:Interdisciplinary Communication; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D057832:Watchful Waiting