Já não somos mais os mesmos: um estudo netnográfico sobre o comportamento de consumo de grupos de indivíduos bariátricos

Abstract

This study explored the emotional, social and psychological impacts of waiting for bariatric surgery offered by the Unified Health System (SUS) in Brazil, focusing on the online community “Cirurgia Bariátrica do Grupo Hospitalar Conceição 100% SUS - Porto Alegre”. The central objective of the research was to investigate how individuals undergoing bariatric surgery experience their consumption experiences and social interactions in virtual communities throughout the post-surgery transition, also addressing the role that social interaction and support between members of the virtual community played in mitigating the effects of this wait. Using a netnographic qualitative analysis methodology, data was collected and examined from accounts published on the social network Facebook, as well as reviews of previous research on the subject. This approach made it possible to identify emotional and behavioral patterns related to prolonged waiting, including feelings of anxiety, frustration and despair which, in many cases, culminated in legalization initiatives to speed up the surgical procedure. It was also observed that the virtual community offered a significant space of welcome, where members found emotional support and practical information about the surgical process, reinforcing the idea that social support networks helped to reduce the psychological impact of waiting. In summary, the results highlighted not only the challenges faced by patients in the waiting process, but also pointed to the urgent need for improvements in queue management and communication with SUS users, seeking to provide a more humanized and transparent experience for patients