Correlation between Anxiety Symptoms and Perception of Quality of Life in Women with More Than 24 Months after Undergoing Bariatric Surgery

Abstract

Purpose: To analyze the correlation between anxiety symptoms and perceived quality of life in women more than 24 months after undergoing bariatric surgery. Methods: Cross-sectional, descriptive and analytical study, carried out with women who underwent bariatric surgery after at least 24 months. To assess the level of anxiety symptoms, the Beck Inventory was used and to assess the perception of quality of life, the Item Short Form Healthy Survey was applied. Results: Of the 50 participants, 36.0% had reports indicative of moderate symptoms and 64.0% had severe symptoms of anxiety. The domains of quality of life that correlated with better perception were pain (p < 0.001), functional capacity (p = 0.013), general health status (p = 0.018), social aspects (p < 0.001), and mental health (p < 0.001). In linear regression, a significant inverse correlation was found between the general emotional component of quality of life and anxiety score (β = −0.546; CI −1.419; −0.559; p < 0.001) and between the general physical component of quality of life and anxiety score (β = −0.339; CI −0.899; −0.131; p = 0.010), both independent of weight regain and surgery time. Conclusions: It was observed that moderate to severe anxiety symptoms seem to interfere with the perception of quality of life, regardless of weight regain and surgery time.