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Predictors of Post-bariatric Surgery Appointment Attendance: the Role of Relationship Style

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Abstract

Background

Attendance at bariatric surgery follow-up appointments has been associated with bariatric surgery outcomes. In this prospective study, we sought to examine psychosocial predictors of attendance at post-operative follow-up appointments.

Methods

Consecutive bariatric surgery patients (n = 132) were assessed pre-surgery for demographic variables, depressive symptoms, and relationship style. Patients were followed for 12 months post-surgery and, based on their attendance at follow-up appointments, were classified as post-surgery appointment attenders (attenders—attended at least one appointment after post-operative month 6) or post-surgery appointment non-attenders (non-attenders—did not attend at least one appointment after post-operative month 6). Psychosocial and demographic variables were compared between the attender and non-attender groups. Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify significant predictors of attendance at post-bariatric surgery follow-up appointments.

Results

At 12 months post-surgery, 68.2 % of patients were classified as attenders. The non-attender group was significantly older (p = 0.04) and had significantly higher avoidant relationship style scores (p = 0.02). There was a trend towards patients in the non-attender group living a greater distance from the bariatric center (p = 0.05). Avoidant relationship style was identified as the only significant predictor of post-operative appointment non-attendance in the logistic regression analysis.

Conclusions

These findings suggest that avoidant relationship style is an important predictor of post-bariatric surgery appointment non-attendance. Recognition of patients' relationship style by bariatric surgery psychosocial team members may guide the delivery of interventions aimed at engaging this patient group post-surgery.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank our patients who participated in the study. We would also like to thank our Toronto Western Hospital Bariatric Interdisciplinary Team for their support and the Ministry of Health of Ontario for their ongoing psychosocial program funding.

Conflict of Interest

The authors have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Bariatric Surgery Program, Toronto Western Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada

    Sanjeev Sockalingam, Raed Hawa, Susan Wnuk, Timothy Jackson & Allan Okrainec

  2. Department of Psychology, Ryerson University, Toronto, ON, Canada

    Stephanie Cassin

  3. Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada

    Sanjeev Sockalingam, Stephanie Cassin, Raed Hawa, Attia Khan & Susan Wnuk

  4. Division of General Surgery, University Health Network, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada

    Timothy Jackson & Allan Okrainec

  5. Toronto General Hospital, 200 Elizabeth Street-8EN-228, Toronto, ON, M5G 2C4, Canada

    Sanjeev Sockalingam

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  1. Sanjeev Sockalingam
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  2. Stephanie Cassin
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  7. Allan Okrainec
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Correspondence to Sanjeev Sockalingam.

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Sockalingam, S., Cassin, S., Hawa, R. et al. Predictors of Post-bariatric Surgery Appointment Attendance: the Role of Relationship Style. OBES SURG 23, 2026–2032 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11695-013-1009-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11695-013-1009-9

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