title: Racial differences in weight loss, payment method, and complications following Roux-en-Y gastric bypass and sleeve gastrectomy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Obesity affects approximately one-third of the US adult population. Although more black adults are considered to be obese compared to white adults, black adults are less likely to undergo bariatric surgery for weight loss. Black adults typically lose less weight and are more prone to adverse events following bariatric surgery than white adults. The objectives of this study were to compare weight loss, payment methods, and early postoperative complications between black and white adults.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective chart review of 420 Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) patients and 454 sleeve gastrectomy (SG) patients (all female) was conducted. A mixed-model analysis was used to assess statistical significance of differences in weight loss between surgeries and races. A Chi-square test was used to assess racial differences in payment method (insurance or private pay) and postoperative complications by operation. Statistical significance was set as P > 0.05.
  
  
  RESULTS
  RYGB patients lost significantly more weight at 26, 52, 78, and 104 weeks postoperatively compared to SG patients. White females (WF) lost significantly more weight than black females (BF) at 26, 52, 78, and 104 weeks postoperatively. WF experienced more minor and major complications in the perioperative period than BF, but BF experienced more minor and overall complications in the postoperative period than WF. A greater percentage of black patients had insurance coverage compared to white patients for both surgeries.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  WF appear to lose more weight than BF regardless of surgery, but both races experience surgical complications. Black patients may be less likely to undergo bariatric surgery without insurance coverage.
authors.affiliation: Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Louisiana State University System, 6400 Perkins Road, Baton Rouge, LA 70808-4124, USA.
authors.forename: Brooke E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Bayham
authors.forename: Drake E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Bellanger
authors.forename: Andrew G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Hargroder
authors.forename: William D
authors.initials: WD
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: Frank L
authors.initials: FL
authors.lastname: Greenway
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015992:Body Mass Index; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005743:Gastrectomy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods*; D015390:Gastric Bypass / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007349:Insurance, Health, Reimbursement / Q000191:economics; D008875:Middle Aged; D009767:Obesity, Morbid / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000191:economics / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000601:surgery*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000208:ethnology / Q000503:physiopathology; D017149:Private Sector / Q000191:economics; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014481:United States; D015431:Weight Loss / Q000208:ethnology*; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data