The potential for cross-addiction in post-bariatric surgery patients: Considerations for primary care nurse practitioners

• Published in: Journal of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Vol. 28; no. 12; pp. 675 - 682
• Main Authors: Bak, Melissa, Seibold-Simpson, Susan M., Darling, Rosa
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.12.2016; American Association of Nurse Practitioners; Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Ovid Technologies
• Subjects: addiction; Addictions; Adult; Aged; Alcoholism - psychology; Bariatric Surgery - psychology; Behavior, Addictive - diagnosis; Behavior, Addictive - psychology; Exercise - psychology; Feeding Behavior - psychology; Focus Groups; Gambling - psychology; Gastrointestinal surgery; Humans; Male; Mass Screening - methods; Mental health; Middle Aged; Nursing; Obesity; Physicians; Primary care; Qualitative Research; screening; Sexual Behavior - psychology; Specialty services; weight management; United States > US; weight management; Obesity; screening; addiction
• ISSN: 2327-6886; 2327-6924; 2327-6924
• DOI: 10.1002/2327-6924.12390

Background and purpose Possible mental health issues for post‐bariatric surgery patients include the development of cross‐addictions after the rapid weight loss period. No validated screening tool to assess for possible cross‐addictions exists. The main purpose of this study was to develop recommendations for modifying an existing addiction screening tool (the Shorter PROMIS Questionnaire) for use by primary care providers. Methods A qualitative descriptive design was used with triangulation of input from the scholarly literature, content experts (CEs), and post‐bariatric surgery patients. Three focus groups were conducted with post‐bariatric surgery patients (n = 12) with the same questions asked of the CEs (n = 3). Content analysis was used to analyze the transcripts. Conclusions The following themes regarding addictions after bariatric surgery were identified through consensus: alcohol, gambling, shopping, exercise, food starving/bingeing, and sexuality/relationships. Dissonant themes included caffeine and tobacco by the post‐bariatric surgery patients and prescription/illicit medications by the CEs. Implications for practice Targeted screening for early identification of problem behaviors by primary care providers may result in appropriate referral to and management by mental health providers, assisting ongoing success of bariatric surgery.