The decision of an obese woman to have bariatric surgery: the social phenomenology

Objective To understand the process by which an obese woman decides to have bariatric surgery. Method A qualitative survey with a social phenomenology approach, carried out in...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Deíse Moura de Oliveira, Miriam Aparecida Barbosa Merighi, Maria Cristina Pinto de Jesus
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Universidade de São Paulo 2014-12-01
Series:Revista da Escola de Enfermagem da USP
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Online Access:http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0080-62342014000600970&lng=en&tlng=en
Description
Summary:Objective To understand the process by which an obese woman decides to have bariatric surgery. Method A qualitative survey with a social phenomenology approach, carried out in 2012, with 12 women, using the phenomenological interview. Results A woman bases the decision to have the surgery on: the inappropriateness of her eating habits; a physical appearance that is incompatible with an appearance that is standardized by society; the social prejudice that she has to live with; the limitations imposed by obesity; and her lack of success with previous attempts to lose weight. Outcomes that she hopes for from the decision to have the surgery include: restoring her health; achieving social inclusion; and entering the labor market. Conclusion This study allows one to reflect that prescriptive actions do not give a satisfactory response to a complexity of the subjective questions involved in the decision to have surgery for obesity. For this, what is called for is a program of work based on an interdisciplinary approach, and training that gives value to the bio-psycho-social aspects involved in a decision in favor of surgical treatment.
ISSN:1980-220X