Author: Alanoud Alobaidly
Alobaidly, Alanoud, 2018 Life Post Bariatric Surgery: The Experiences of People with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Kuwait, Flinders University, College of Nursing and Health Sciences
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Kuwait is ranked in the top 10 countries worldwide in the prevalence of diabetes and obesity (World Health Organisation, 2016). In the past decade, Kuwait has introduced bariatric surgery as a treatment option for both of these conditions. A review of the literature found that bariatric surgery (BS) is effective for the treatment of obesity and had a positive effect in lowering blood glucose levels in people with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Recently, researchers have claimed BS to be the ‘cure’ for T2DM. This study aims to understand the experiences of people with T2DM after bariatric surgery.
Stake’s (2005) instrumental case study methodology was used to explore what people with T2DM have experienced at six to twelve months after BS. Email interviews were conducted with four participants to describe the effect of BS on their T2DM management and their daily routine. Using Creswell’s (2014) thematic analysis, three main themes were identified: knowledge, satisfaction from results and healthcare management. Thomas’ (2016) positioning and quality were used to evaluate the findings that emerged from the interviews and increase the rigour when interpreting the experiences of the participants.
This study revealed that there is an absence of patient education for BS, unsuccessful diabetes education, and a deficiency of a multidisciplinary team to manage people with T2DM and BS. The limitations of this study are the use of email interviews for collecting data which was an uncommon method of communication among the Kuwaiti population. However, the number of participants required in case study research is small, this is because they provide rich detailed information on their lived experiences. This research highlighted the need for understanding cultural effects on health and the significance of specialist physicians and surgeons to collaborate for the benefit of patient health. It is recommended that policy makers and stakeholders in Kuwait be aware of the needs of the Kuwaiti population in regard to health care services. Further research is required to evaluate the impact of a multidisciplinary team approach for people with T2DM and for those undergoing BS, and how the recommendations of this research can best assist in providing suitable patient education and improving health care practices.
Keywords: Patient Experience, Patient Education, Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, Bariatric Surgery, Culture, Obesity
Subject: Nursing thesis
Thesis type: Graduate Diploma
Completed: 2018
School: College of Nursing and Health Sciences
Supervisor: Dr. Wendy Abigail