The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in the cancellation of elective surgeries, and restrictions on movement for many around the world. Bariatric surgery has become the gold standard for treatment of Obesity, with more than 20000 surgeries performed in a year. In Australia Most Bariatric surgery procedures were put on hold indefinitely due to the global pandemic. Individuals were not allowed to attend face to face appointments during lockdown periods, potentially influencing wellbeing for this population. There is minimal data in the literature which specifically outlines the effects of COVID-19 restrictions on bariatric patients, in particular their psychological wellbeing, this study sought to add research to the area highlighting the importance of psychological support for this population. The study aimed to determine if patients who underwent bariatric surgery and recovery before Covid-19 lockdowns had better wellbeing scores and lower depression, stress and anxiety scores compared to those who had the surgery during the pandemic. It also aimed to determine if patients who had access to psychological intervention had better outcomes than those who did not have access. Results showed that contrary to our hypothesis, patients who underwent surgery and recovery prior to the pandemic were significantly more stressed than those who were waiting or had undergone surgery during the pandemic. The implications for clinical practice include a greater amount of psychological support post-bariatric surgery and continuity of care throughout times of crises such as the pandemic.
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