title: Why patients seek bariatric surgery: does insurance coverage matter?
abstract: Despite increasing prevalence of bariatric surgery, little is known about why patients seek out this treatment option. Heads Up is an observational study sponsored by a large benefits management group that examines surgical and nonsurgical approaches to weight management in obese adults. This study examined patients' reasons for choosing surgery. The sample included 360 adult obese patients seeking bariatric surgery who were invited to volunteer for a surgical or a medical weight loss program by their insurer. Participants rank ordered their top three reasons as a deciding factor for choosing to consider surgery. The top three reasons were concerns regarding health (52%), current obesity-related medical conditions (28%), and improved physical fitness (5%). Overall, 13% endorsed insurance coverage as one of their top three choices. When insurance coverage is assured, health and functionality issues were the major reasons reported for obese adults choosing to undergo bariatric surgery.
authors.affiliation: Behavioral Medicine Laboratory, Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Louisiana State University System, 6400 Perkins Road, Baton Rouge, LA, 70808-4124, USA, phil.brantley@pbrc.edu.
authors.forename: Phillip J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Brantley
authors.forename: Krystal
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Waldo
authors.forename: Molly R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Matthews-Ewald
authors.forename: Ricky
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Brock
authors.forename: Catherine M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Champagne
authors.forename: Tim
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Church
authors.forename: Melissa N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Harris
authors.forename: Tipton
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: McKnight
authors.forename: Melanie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: McKnight
authors.forename: Valerie H
authors.initials: VH
authors.lastname: Myers
authors.forename: Donna H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Ryan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D050110:Bariatric Surgery; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D019458:Insurance Coverage; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D009767:Obesity, Morbid / Q000523:psychology* / Q000601:surgery*; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D061217:Weight Reduction Programs