Employment Outcomes Post Bariatric Surgery: A Systematic Review

Objective(s): This research explores the relationship between employment rates post-bariatric surgery and the potential impact of occupational therapy (OT) on employment rates/retention post-surgery.

Data Sources: A systematic review was conducted, and relevant articles were searched in PubMed, Medline, Springerlink, AJOT, Mayo Archives Explorer, and Google Scholar.

Study Selection: Only articles published from January 2013 to December 2023 that focused on employment outcomes at least one-year post-bariatric surgery were considered. Additional inclusion criteria consisted of articles in English, a sample population comprised of class II or III obesity or a BMI of 35+, cohort studies, and a low attrition rate. 16 of 110 studies matched the inclusion criteria.

Data Extraction: All group members individually searched for relevant articles within different databases and gathered four articles that followed the criteria to create annotated bibliographies. The group members collaborated to finalize the articles used in the systematic review.

Data Synthesis: Keywords such as bariatric surgery, employment, and occupational therapy were used when searching the databases. Studies within the inclusion criteria were analyzed by each group member and included in the shared folder to cross examine results. Systematic reviews were excluded from our literature search.
Results indicate that post-bariatric surgery slightly increases employment rates one-year post-bariatric surgery. However, data regarding employment rates greater than one-year post bariatric surgery revealed no significant improvement.

Conclusions: Although bariatric surgery results in significant weight loss and improvement in overall health, extrinsic and intrinsic barriers may prevent patients from participating in meaningful occupations. Barriers faced by the bariatric population include but are not limited to poor physical and mental health, limited resources and education, substance abuse, and self and social stigma. Evidence shows that OT practitioners have the skill set to address barriers impacting bariatric patients pre and post-surgery. However, more research is needed on the effectiveness of these interventions to explore their long-term impact on postoperative employment outcomes.

Author(s) Disclosures: No known conflicts.