Patient Perception of Endoscopic and Medical Therapies for Weight Loss

Abstract

AbstractBackgroundFor weight management, patient choice has increasingly driven therapeutic options, with less than 1% of eligible patients choosing bariatric surgery. The aim of this survey was to understand patient perceptions of endoscopic bariatric therapies (EBTs) and obesity-based pharmacotherapy.MethodsAn anonymously collected 7-question survey was distributed to gastroenterology patients undergoing screening colonoscopy.ResultsA total of 184 patients participated in the survey. Participants demonstrated a greater lack of knowledge of EBTs (78.2% unaware) compared to pharmacotherapy (35.9% unaware). 40.8% of respondents perceived that EBTs were not available in the United States. Only 15.8% of respondents recognized that pharmacotherapy requires long-term treatment to maintain weight loss. Disparities were noted in primarily Spanish-speaking patients demonstrating a lower awareness of the availability of EBTs in the US (57.6% unaware) and pharmacotherapy (62.1% unaware) compared to those with English as the primary language.ConclusionsPatient knowledge and preference are key to engaging in weight loss therapies. Knowledge gaps regarding weight-loss options, particularly EBTs, can limit the utilization of all options for the care of patients with obesity.