Clinical Scorecard: Psychological Impact and Disability Associated with Severe Obesity: Findings from a Comprehensive Psychosomatic Evaluation of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Candidates

At a Glance

Key Highlights

• 69.1% of patients were female; mean age was 41.8 years.
• Over 60% met DSM-IV Axis I criteria for current psychopathology.
• 76.7% showed clinically significant disability (WHODAS score ≥25%).
• Moderate-to-severe depressive symptoms observed in 47.1% of patients.
• Disability was more associated with psychological symptoms than BMI.

Guideline-Based Recommendations

Diagnosis

• Integration of structured psychosomatic assessment in preoperative evaluations.

Management

• Involvement of mental health professionals in the interdisciplinary treatment team.

Monitoring & Follow-up

• Use of psychometric tools like PHQ-D and WHODAS 2.0 for assessing mental health and disability.

Risks

• Psychological comorbidities may negatively influence postoperative adherence and quality of life.

Patient & Prescribing Data

Adults with severe obesity seeking metabolic and bariatric surgery.

High prevalence of mental disorders among candidates, necessitating comprehensive psychosomatic evaluations.

Clinical Best Practices

• Conduct thorough psychosomatic assessments prior to bariatric surgery.
• Utilize validated psychometric tools to evaluate psychological and functional status.
• Address psychological comorbidities to improve postoperative outcomes.

Related Resources & Content

• ASMBS/IFSO Guidelines 2022
• WHO Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0