Support after bariatric surgery – patients’ needs, expectations, and experiences

Introduction
The aim of the study was to identify the needs and expectations of patients after bariatric surgery regarding support and to assess the effectiveness of available forms of assistance, with a particular emphasis on online environments.

Material and methods
The study included 99 patients after bariatric surgery. The participants were members of online support groups bringing together individuals who had undergone surgical treatment for obesity. The diagnostic survey method was used, employing a proprietary questionnaire. The form was distributed on forums and discussion groups in social media. The collected data were subjected to statistical analysis using the SPSS software.

Results
More than half of the respondents actively participated in online support groups, considering them helpful in the healing process. The average rating of the effectiveness of these groups in maintaining a healthy lifestyle was 3.59 (on a 1–5 scale). The highest ratings were given by older individuals (aged 55–64), while younger participants (aged 18–24) assigned them little value (p = 0.015). Online support was more often perceived as motivating by patients who had undergone surgery recently (within the last 12 months), compared to those who had surgery many years ago (p = 0.016). Opinions on the groups’ influence on physical activity were varied – only 33.3% recognized their positive impact. Despite participating in online groups, more than half of the patients (52.5%) reported the need for face-to-face contact with professionals.

Conclusions
Effective postoperative support should be diverse and tailored to the patient’s age, time since surgery, and specific needs, preferences, and expectations regarding care.