Highlights:
- -Both program- and insurance-mandated SWL sessions greater for Black patients
- -Increasing SWL requirements significantly reduced odds of surgery at one year
Abstract
Introduction
We use our high-volume institutional experience with a majority Black population to
examine the role of supervised weight loss (SWL) requirements perpetuating disparities
in bariatric surgery.
Methods
A retrospective review was conducted of all patients seen at our institution’s bariatric
surgery clinic in 2018. Odds of undergoing surgery within one year and mean number
of SWL requirements were determined using descriptive statistics for Black patients
as compared to non-Hispanic white patients. Finally, a logistic model was constructed
to examine likelihood of undergoing an operation within one year for patients of varying
SWL requirements.
Setting
University hospital
Results
335 patients were included (75% Black, 25% White). Within one year, 37% of Black patients
compared to 53% of White patients had undergone an operation (RR 0.7, p= 0.01). Mean insurance mandated SWL sessions was significantly higher for Black patients
(3.6 ± 2.8) versus non-Hispanic White patients, (2.2 ± 2.7) (p < 0.01). Mean program mandated SWL sessions were also significantly higher for Black
patients (2.5 ± 2.6), versus non-Hispanic White patients (0.8 ± 1.8) (p < 0.01). Increasing SWL requirements significantly reduced the odds of undergoing
surgery at one year within the entire cohort (OR 0.86, p<0.01).
Conclusion
Black patients are disproportionally affected by SWL requirements, which strongly
correlates with decreased likelihood of undergoing a bariatric operation as compared
to their white counterparts. Even after overcoming barriers to see a bariatric surgery
provider, Black patients still face disproportionally more barriers to surgery. Bariatric
centers must be sensitive to the effect of SWL requirements, as it is negatively associated
with the likelihood of a patient receiving a bariatric operation.
Key words
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Article info
Publication history
Accepted:
March 5,
2023
Received in revised form:
January 4,
2023
Received:
September 15,
2022
Publication stage
In Press Journal Pre-ProofFootnotes
Funding information: Internally funded
Prior presentation: Portions of these findings were presented at SAGES 2020. They have not been published previously.
Identification
Copyright
© 2023 American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
