African American Obese Mens’ Attitudes and Perceptions of Bariatric Surgery: A Phenomenological Study

The major questions being answered in the study are 1) what are the attitudes and perceptions of obese African American men regarding bariatric surgery and 2) what barriers currently exist for African American men that prevent them from considering and seeking surgical intervention for obesity? The methodology used in the research study is phenomenology. Fourteen African American men meeting BMI criteria for obesity participated in semi-structured interviews. In the study, the researchers found three major themes emerged, which included 1) participants’ process of understanding bariatric surgery, 2) masculinity and social norms, and 3) finances. Likewise, additional research regarding African American men, as well as other men of color, is needed to further explore why health disparities regarding obesity and the utilization of surgical intervention currently exist.