Funded Projects

Obesity is a major risk factor for many chronic conditions and is associated with tremendous burden on the society. Current guidelines recommend metabolic and bariatric surgery (MBS) for patients with BMI≥40 or between 35 and 40 with obesity-related comorbidities and resistant to clinical interventions. African American (AA) patients are twice as likely to be diagnosed with diabetes and more than 3 times as likely to suffer from kidney failure as White patients. Although AA men have a high prevalence of obesity, they are the least likely group to receive MBS, trailing behind all other groups including AA women. This study will use semi-structured patient interviews and mobile surveys to address the following Specific Aim: (1) Explore whether and how intrinsic (acceptance, preference for, and beliefs about MBS) and extrinsic barriers (referral rate, employment, health insurance, and others) impact access to MBS (referral for consultation and odds of undergoing surgery) among AA men.