MIRECC / CoE

New Resource for Veterans Who are Thinking about Bariatric Surgery and Want to Improve Their Mental Health Skills and Environment

Our Clinical Educator Grant program helps VISN 16 and 17 mental health providers create and share resources that improve treatment for rural and other Veterans who face barriers to care. We give these products to Veterans, VA providers, and the public for free. Visit our Clinical Educator Products webpage to access all of our products.

Bariatric Surgery: A Path to Success

Developers: Marie Mesidor, PhD, Elizabeth Calloway, MS, RDN, CSOWM, LD, Ali Abbas Asghar-Ali, MD, Jennifer L. Bryan, PhD, and Joshua Hamer, PhD

Bariatric surgery can have a positive impact on Veterans’ health and well-being. This self-help guide is for Veterans who are thinking about bariatric surgery and want to gain mental health skills and make their environments healthier. Their behaviors and mental health will directly affect outcomes of bariatric surgery. Making changes to their daily lives will help them succeed in their recovery after surgery. The guide:

• Explains important considerations for bariatric surgery and the types of professional support Veterans can receive from their VA healthcare team before and after surgery.
• Provides tools for setting goals to make bariatric surgery a success.
• Reviews pre- and post-concerns to consider before having bariatric surgery.
• Details the relationship between mental health and bariatric surgery.
• Published 2022

Last updated: January 20, 2023