Patient Awareness about the indications for and complications of sleeve gastrectomy in the western region of Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Introduction and Research Problem: Obesity can be defined as a BMI of 30 kg/m2 or higher. It has been recognized as the 2nd largest cause of avoidable early mortality in the USA. Bariatric surgery is a weight-loss surgical technique that is mostly suggested for morbidly obese individuals (BMI greater than 40) without comorbidities and BMI 35 with comorbidities. The goal of the study was to assess patient awareness about the indications for and complications of, sleeve gastrectomy, as there is an insignificant number of studies related to our topic, in Saudi Arabia. Materials and Methods: An observational cross-sectional study conducted in the western part of Saudi Arabia. The study’s population included all patients of sleeve gastrectomy from the Western Region of Saudi Arabia. The instrument used was an electronic questionnaire, which included questions about knowledge of sleeve gastrectomy indications and complications. Summary of Results: The questionnaire was sent to 451 patients who underwent sleeve gastrectomy, and about 444 patients gave consent to participate. It was found that the participants who were aware of the indications and complications of sleeve gastrectomy before undergoing the procedure were 313 (70.5%) and 303 (68.2%). female patients had significantly more awareness related to the indications (p<0.001) and complications (p=0.001). Patients who had an educational qualification of Masters and above had more awareness regarding indications of SG before surgery than others (p=0.008). Conclusion and Recommendations: According to the findings of our study, knowledge regarding the indications for and complications associated with sleeve gastrectomy is not satisfactory. There is a need to raise public understanding of the indications for and consequences of, sleeve gastrectomy. Key words: Patient awareness, indications, complications, sleeve gastrectomy, Saudi Arabia