The Effect of Dietitian Education on Patient Quality of Life Pre-Bariatric Surgery: A Pilot Study

Abstract

Dietitian-led group education has previously been shown to be effective in improving the health of those with a range of non-communicable diseases. The measures for effect, however, have been predominately anthropometric and biochemical. Change in a patient’s quality of life (QoL) is a less traditional health measure; assessing QoL provides valuable context and insight into an individual’s health in a way anthropometry and biochemistry cannot. The main aim of this study is to determine the feasibility of using a QoL measurement tool to determine the effect of dietetic education on patient QoL. A cross-sectional pilot study of 20 adults (aged: >18 years) enrolled in bariatric surgery at Waitemata District Health Board (WDHB) was conducted in Auckland, New Zealand, in 2017. Participants were recruited at the North Shore Hospital Bariatric Information Seminar or via post. The Schedule for the Evaluation of the Individualised Quality of Life (SEIQoL) was used to measure QoL in semi-structured interviews of participants before and after they attended two dietitian-led group education sessions (pre-bariatric surgery). Research questions were (1) What factors of feasibility are necessary to consider if a larger study of SEIQoL is to be undertaken at WDHB in the future? (2) Does the SEIQoL show a change in the QoL of pre-bariatric patients after they have attended dietetic group education sessions? (3) Is the SEIQoL an appropriate QoL tool to measure if dietitians have an effect on patient QoL in the outpatient setting? Results demonstrated that the SEIQoL is a feasible tool for measuring QoL in an outpatient population. A change in the mean QoL score before and after dietitian-led group education was not evident however, the qualitative analysis of the SEIQoL suggests that dietitian education may have an effect on QoL. The SEIQoL should be used alongside other more conventional measures when considering the effect of dietetic education on patient health. A larger study incorporating a control group in different patient populations is recommended as the SEIQoL is a valuable resource to deliver patient centred care.