Body image of men and women with congenital heart disease over a 15 years observational period

Abstract Most studies devoted to the psychological consequences of congenital heart disease (CHD) have dealt with consequences in terms of psychopathology. We wanted to consider two specific aspects of body image, “Rejecting body evaluation” and “Vital body dynamics”. We examined body image of CHD-p...

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Main Authors: Siegfried Geyer, Claudia Dellas, Elmar Brähler, Johannes Beller
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-02-01
Series:Scientific Reports
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-87097-2
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author Siegfried Geyer
Claudia Dellas
Elmar Brähler
Johannes Beller
author_facet Siegfried Geyer
Claudia Dellas
Elmar Brähler
Johannes Beller
author_sort Siegfried Geyer
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Most studies devoted to the psychological consequences of congenital heart disease (CHD) have dealt with consequences in terms of psychopathology. We wanted to consider two specific aspects of body image, “Rejecting body evaluation” and “Vital body dynamics”. We examined body image of CHD-patients as compared with the general population, the stability of body image of patients over time, and the relationship of body image with disease severity. The study combined a longitudinal (panel-) and a case-control design. The findings were based on a long-term study of CHD-patients with two surveys about 15 years apart with N = 244 who participated in both. The control group consisted of the same number of cases matched by age, gender and education drawn from a national survey designed to examine body image in the general population. More men than women were classified into the group with severe CHD. Body image differences between CHD-patients and controls were found only in men, but not in women, and they emerged primarily in terms of vitality. The two dimensions of body image turned out as moderately to strongly stable over time, relationships between disease severity and body image emerged only for perceived vitality. Contrary to expectation, effects of age and sex were largely absent. The body image of men turned out to be more affected by congenital heart disease than women. Body image is not stable, but it is changing with increasing age, and disease severity is affecting body image only in terms of the perception of physical performance.
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spelling doaj-art-83447a5d0d204253bdc86c534c945a492025-02-09T12:37:50ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-02-0115111010.1038/s41598-025-87097-2Body image of men and women with congenital heart disease over a 15 years observational periodSiegfried Geyer0Claudia Dellas1Elmar Brähler2Johannes Beller3Department of Medical Sociology, Medizinische Hochschule HannoverDepartment of Pediatric Cardiology, Intensive Care Medicine and Neonatology, University Medical CenterDepartment of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Universitätsklinikum Leipzig, Leipzig and University Medical Center MainzDepartment of Medical Sociology, Medizinische Hochschule HannoverAbstract Most studies devoted to the psychological consequences of congenital heart disease (CHD) have dealt with consequences in terms of psychopathology. We wanted to consider two specific aspects of body image, “Rejecting body evaluation” and “Vital body dynamics”. We examined body image of CHD-patients as compared with the general population, the stability of body image of patients over time, and the relationship of body image with disease severity. The study combined a longitudinal (panel-) and a case-control design. The findings were based on a long-term study of CHD-patients with two surveys about 15 years apart with N = 244 who participated in both. The control group consisted of the same number of cases matched by age, gender and education drawn from a national survey designed to examine body image in the general population. More men than women were classified into the group with severe CHD. Body image differences between CHD-patients and controls were found only in men, but not in women, and they emerged primarily in terms of vitality. The two dimensions of body image turned out as moderately to strongly stable over time, relationships between disease severity and body image emerged only for perceived vitality. Contrary to expectation, effects of age and sex were largely absent. The body image of men turned out to be more affected by congenital heart disease than women. Body image is not stable, but it is changing with increasing age, and disease severity is affecting body image only in terms of the perception of physical performance.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-87097-2Congenital heart diseaseBody imagePanel studyRepeated measurementComparative study
spellingShingle Siegfried Geyer
Claudia Dellas
Elmar Brähler
Johannes Beller
Body image of men and women with congenital heart disease over a 15 years observational period
Scientific Reports
Congenital heart disease
Body image
Panel study
Repeated measurement
Comparative study
title Body image of men and women with congenital heart disease over a 15 years observational period
title_full Body image of men and women with congenital heart disease over a 15 years observational period
title_fullStr Body image of men and women with congenital heart disease over a 15 years observational period
title_full_unstemmed Body image of men and women with congenital heart disease over a 15 years observational period
title_short Body image of men and women with congenital heart disease over a 15 years observational period
title_sort body image of men and women with congenital heart disease over a 15 years observational period
topic Congenital heart disease
Body image
Panel study
Repeated measurement
Comparative study
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-87097-2
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AT claudiadellas bodyimageofmenandwomenwithcongenitalheartdiseaseovera15yearsobservationalperiod
AT elmarbrahler bodyimageofmenandwomenwithcongenitalheartdiseaseovera15yearsobservationalperiod
AT johannesbeller bodyimageofmenandwomenwithcongenitalheartdiseaseovera15yearsobservationalperiod