What Researchers Did
Researchers assessed perceived body image, anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)-related symptoms in 50 patients one year after severe skin and soft tissue infection (SSTI) requiring intensive care unit (ICU) stay.
What They Found
Abdominoperineal SSTI was associated with more body image problems, and women reported significantly higher negative body image scores than men (median 9.5 vs. 3.0, P < 0.03). A substantial number of patients experienced scar dissatisfaction (63.9%), body dissatisfaction (51.1%), and felt their body was less whole (51.0%). Body image scores also strongly correlated with anxiety (r = 0.59, P < 0.01), depression (r = 0.60, P < 0.01), and PTSD-related symptoms (r = 0.61, P < 0.01).
What This Means for Canadian Patients
Canadian patients recovering from severe SSTI, especially women and those with abdominoperineal infections, may benefit from psychological support to address body image concerns. Healthcare providers should screen for body image issues, anxiety, and depression to offer timely interventions and improve long-term psychological outcomes.
Canadian Relevance
While this study has no direct Canadian connection, its findings on the long-term psychological impact of severe SSTI are likely relevant and generalizable to patients in Canada.
Study Limitations
The study's findings are limited by its relatively small sample size and single-center design.