SKIN COLOR DIFFERENCES AND HEALTH-RELATED QUALITY OF LIFE PERCEPTION AFTER GASTRIC BYPASS ROUX-EN-Y: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY.

Background: Differences in skin color have socioeconomic and health implications; however, gaps persist in understanding health-related quality of life (HRQoL) perception.

Aims: To examine whether skin color differences influence HRQoL in obese patients undergoing Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery.

Methods: Cross-sectional study with participants of both genders, aged 18 to 60, and three to six months postoperatively. Data were collected from October 2018 to July 2019 at a bariatric clinic in Salvador, Bahia. Skin color, Moorehead-Ardelt II Quality of Life Questionnaire (MAQOL-II) scores, anthropometric measurements, socioeconomic status, physical activity, and body image perceptions were recorded.

Results: Of 196 patients, 67.35% were Black. "Self-esteem" in MAQOL-II demonstrated the most significant post-surgical improvement, with 62.8% reporting "much better" outcomes. Adjusted residuals associated "much better" and "unchanged" responses with skin color. The overall MAQOL-II score indicated lower HRQoL scores (M=1.65; standard deviation - SD=0.98) for individuals with black skin compared to those with white skin. Analyzing questionnaire responses, both racial groups exhibited equal percentages (45.3%) reporting "much better" and "better" post-surgery progress. However, no statistically significant differences in HRQoL were observed when comparing skin color.

Conclusions: Skin color appears not to significantly impact the HRQoL of obese patients undergoing Roux-en-Y gastric bypass.