Determinants of uptake of bariatric surgery in ethnic minority adults
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Determinants of the uptake of bariatric surgery amongst morbidly obese ethnic minority adults in the UK
IRAS ID
206598
Contact name
Sekesai Dachi
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Birmingham
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 9 months, 1 days
Research summary
Bariatric (weight loss) surgery has been shown to be the only treatment that results in sustained long-term weight loss in patients with extreme (or morbid) obesity. It has also been seen to produce a near resolution of type 2 diabetes and the metabolic syndrome in this patient population. People of South Asian descent are known to have higher levels of body fat and higher risk for the metabolic syndrome compared to their white European counterparts. People of South Asian and African/Afro-Caribbean heritage, who comprise 11.9 % of the UK population, also have a higher risk of type 2 diabetes, up to six times greater than the national average, in spite having similar body mass index (BMI) values as their white European counterparts. Despite these health inequalities, of the 16,956 bariatric surgeries performed in England from 2011-2013, only 7.7% of patients receiving the surgery were from ethnic minority groups. It is unclear what factors are contributing to this disparity in provision. As such, the aim of this study is to examine the determinants of bariatric surgery uptake in ethnic minority adults. Currently, a secondary analysis of the 2014 UK National Bariatric Surgery Registry is being conducted to identify potential differences in demographic characteristics and surgery outcomes/complications between ethnic minority and white patients who have received bariatric surgery. Ethics approval is now being sought for the second phase of the PhD research, a qualitative approach, which will implement interviewing as a vehicle for data collection of both health care professionals/commissioners concerned with bariatric surgery and ethnic minority patients who have undergone bariatric surgery. For the former, the aim is to gain insights into factors contributing to disparities in bariatric surgery provision, referral or uptake and the latter, to explore the decision making process and other factors leading to their decision to undertake the surgery.
REC name
West Midlands - Black Country Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
17/WM/0429
Date of REC Opinion
18 Jan 2018
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion