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Effect of Health Literacy on Help-seeking Behavior in Morbidly Obese Patients Agreeing to Bariatric Surgery

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Abstract

Background

We aimed to evaluate the effect of health literacy on agreement for bariatric surgery among morbidly obese patients.

Methods

The data of 242 morbidly obese patients (body mass index—BMI ≥ 40 kg/m2) were evaluated in a cross-sectional case-control pattern. The patients were classified into two groups as those who were attending the clinic for the purpose of receiving bariatric surgery (n = 138) and those who did not (n = 104). The Turkish version of the European Health Literacy Survey Questionnaire (HLS-EU-Q47), consisting of 47 questions, was used for the health literacy evaluation.

Results

It was seen that patients who accepted bariatric surgery were younger and had higher weight and BMI values (p < 0.001). HLS-EU-Q47 index results were 33.33 (15.63–50) in the group who agreed to bariatric surgery and 26.04 (8.33:46.88) in the group who did not agree to bariatric surgery, and a statistically significant difference was determined between the two groups (p < 0.001). From the HLS-EU-Q47 questionnaire, an insufficient level (0–25) was found for 2.9% of the group who agreed to bariatric surgery and 45.2% of the group who did not (p < 0.001). The problematic-limited level was similar in the two groups (> 25–33) (respectively, 36.2%, 37.5%, p = 0.840). A sufficient level (> 33–42) and a perfect level were higher in the group who agreed to bariatric surgery (respectively, 42.8%, 18.1%, p < 0.001).

Conclusion

There is a relationship between health literacy and acceptance of bariatric surgery in morbidly obese patients. The higher the health literacy level, the more the agreement to bariatric surgery increased.

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Funding Information

The authors disclose that they did not receive any grant for the conducting or writing of this study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Bursa Yuksek Ihtisas Teaching and Research Hospital, Department of General Surgery, University of Health Sciences, Bursa, Turkey

    Haci Murat Cayci & Umut Eren Erdogdu

  2. Bursa Yuksek Ihtisas Teaching and Research Hospital, Department of Family Medicine Section, University of Health Sciences, Bursa, Turkey

    Hakan Demirci, Aykut Ardic & Nevruz Yildirim Topak

  3. Bursa Yuksek Ihtisas Teaching and Research Hospital, Department of Psycihiatry, University of Health Sciences, Bursa, Turkey

    İbrahim Taymur

Authors
  1. Haci Murat Cayci
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  2. Umut Eren Erdogdu
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  3. Hakan Demirci
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Correspondence to Haci Murat Cayci.

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Cayci, H.M., Erdogdu, U.E., Demirci, H. et al. Effect of Health Literacy on Help-seeking Behavior in Morbidly Obese Patients Agreeing to Bariatric Surgery. OBES SURG 28, 791–797 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11695-017-2882-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11695-017-2882-4

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