Implications of Cardiac Scarring on Body Image Disturbance Among Young Adults With Congenital Heart Defects.

The study was cross-sectional, so it cannot show whether body image concerns cause anxiety and depression, or whether anxiety and depression make people more concerned about scars. The survey was not designed specifically to study body image, and it did not thoroughly assess other body image measures or the psychosocial impact of scarring. The researchers could not tell whether scars were sternotomy or thoracotomy, so they could not examine differences by scar type. All participants were at least 18 years old at follow-up, so the study could not compare adolescents with adults. The sample was predominantly White and non-Hispanic, so results may not apply to more diverse populations. Missing data were handled by mean replacement when at least 50% of items were completed, although missing data were minimal. Low overall scores and only two participants above the clinical cut-off limit how much the measure can show about clinically significant distress.

The authors reported no conflicts of interest.

Do not conclude that cardiac scarring causes body image disturbance or that visible scars alone predict poor quality of life. The study was cross-sectional, most participants had low body image scores, and body image concern was not associated with lesion severity or functional status.