The Effect of Bariatric Surgery on Mobility, Health-Related Quality of Life, Healthcare Resource Utilization, and Employment Status

A sub-study of the Ontario Bariatric Registry was conducted to evaluate the impact of bariatric surgery on mobility, health-related quality of life (HRQoL), healthcare resource utilization (HRU), and employment status. The 1-year change in mobility following bariatric surgery was evaluated using the mobility domain of the EuroQOL-5D-5L (EQ-5D-5L), which was self-administered at baseline and 1 year after bariatric surgery along with questions on HRU. Another questionnaire was used to document employment status at time of surgery and 1 year later. The population included 304 individuals (mean age = 46 years; 85 % female). At baseline, 68 % of participants had some problems in walking compared to 14 % at 1 year following surgery (p < 0.001). The EQ-5D-5L health utility score increased from 0.73 to 0.90 (p < 0.001). The number of hospitalizations increased significantly before and after surgery (p = 0.021). Of the 304 study participants, 138 completed the questionnaire and responses indicated that more individuals reported a change in their employment status within 1 year following surgery (26 %) compared to 1 year prior to the surgery (9 %) (p < 0.001). Within the limitations of this study, there is a suggestion that bariatric surgery has a major impact on mobility and HRQoL. More research is warranted to understand the benefits, costs, and cost-effectiveness of bariatric surgery in Canada.