Body Image, Personality Traits, and Quality of Life in Botulinum Toxin A and Dermal Filler Patients.

BACKGROUND: The demand for minimally invasive cosmetic procedures has continued to rise, especially in Germany, yet few studies have examined this patient population. The literature in Germany has repeatedly voiced the speculation that users of minimally invasive, skin-rejuvenating procedures displayed a higher tendency toward dysmorphic behavior patterns or, respectively, other abnormal personality traits. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate body image, personality traits, quality of life, and socioeconomic parameters in users of botulinum toxin and/or facial fillers. METHODS: One hundred forty-five females presented for botulinum toxin and/or soft tissue filler injections completed demographic and standardized psychometric questionnaires such as the World-Health-Organization Quality of Life-Short Form, Big Five Inventory-10, Body Dysmorphic Disorder Questionnaire before treatment. RESULTS: Patients undergoing injectable aesthetic treatments in an urban dermatology practice were women, middle-aged, highly educated, and mostly employed. Furthermore, participants showed higher quality of life, especially health-related quality of life, and a lower body mass index than controls. Concerning personality traits, our participants scored significantly higher on extraversion, agreeableness, openness to experience, and neuroticism. CONCLUSIONS: This study helps to better understand the psychosocial factors characterizing this patient population. Patients differ from controls by having a higher level of quality of life. No signs of body dysmorphic patterns or problematic personality traits were found. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE IV: This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

[Body experience and self-esteem after minimally invasive skin rejuvenation : Study of female patients using botulinum toxin A and/or dermal fillers]. / Körper- und Selbsterleben nach minimalinvasiver Hautverjüngung : Studie mit Nutzerinnen von Botulinumtoxin-A und/oder Dermafillern.

BACKGROUND: More and more people worldwide and also in Germany are using botulinum toxin type A (BoNT-A) and hyaluronic acid injections for skin rejuvenation. OBJECTIVE: Study on body image and self-esteem of women with BoNT-A and/or hyaluronic acid filler treatment. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 145 women who requested BoNT-A and/or hyaluronic acid injections completed a survey comprised of the body dysmorphic disorder questionnaire, the Rosenberg self-esteem scale and questionnaires on the attitudes and motives on measures for optimization of the body and demographic features. Using this instrument data on the body image and self-esteem as well as attitudes and motives for utilization of minimally invasive skin rejuvenation were collated. RESULTS: Female users of minimally invasive skin rejuvenation showed an overall higher socioeconomic status and an above average high monthly income. They lived in a partnership more often in comparison to women of equal age living in Berlin. The users of BoNT-A and/or hyaluronic acid fillers showed no conspicuous differences in body image and self-esteem. They showed a moderately positive attitude to body optimization procedures and 91% achieved their standard weight with a body mass index (BMI) of ≤25 kg/m2 in comparison to 56% of German women in the same age range (25 to ≥75 years old). CONCLUSION: In the first study of body image and self-esteem in users of BoNT­A and/or dermal fillers in German women, the users showed no signs of body dysmorphic patterns or disorders of self-esteem.

Attitudes of German infertile couples towards multiple births and elective embryo transfer.

BACKGROUND: In Germany, embryo screening programmes combined with elective embryo transfer are illegal, but there is controversial debate about their legalization. Studies about the attitudes of infertile couples towards multiples, elective embryo transfer and multifetal reduction may help to illuminate how this law shapes patient choices. METHODS: A survey of 265 German infertile couples was conducted. Different logistic regression analyses were performed to assess independent factors associated with the parity for multiple births, approval for elective embryo transfer and multifetal reduction. RESULTS: Despite prior information about the risk of multiple births, 81% of respondents saw no risk in twin pregnancies and a sizable minority saw no risk even in triplet pregnancies. Eighty-nine percent of the respondents rated a twin pregnancy as desirable, whereas 35% rated a triplet birth as desirable. When presented with a choice of having multiple births versus having no biological children, 99% of the respondents endorsed twins, 84% triplets and 58% quadruplets. Seventy-four percent of the respondents approve of legalizing embryo screening programmes to select a good-quality embryo combined with elective embryo transfer. Ninety-two percent of the respondents rejected fetal reduction of twins. CONCLUSIONS: German infertile couples might conceivably be more willing to accept elective embryo transfer if screening for viable embryos was permitted.

Attitudes of German infertile couples towards preimplantation genetic diagnosis for different uses: a comparison to international studies.

BACKGROUND: In Germany, preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) is currently not legal, but there is still a controversial debate about legalization. Studies about the attitudes of infertile couples towards PGD are rare. METHODS: A survey was conducted with 265 German infertile couples about knowledge, attitudes and prospective use of PGD. The influence of independent variables associated with approval of PGD is analysed by binary logistic regression. RESULTS: Sixty percent of respondents have heard about PGD. Eighty-seven percent support a general legalization of PGD in Germany for severe, early-onset genetic diseases. Seventy-four percent consider PGD morally acceptable. Sixty percent supported legalizing PGD for HLA-matching. But only a minority approved PGD to test for non-health-related traits. Respondents with a higher education level were the least supportive to all uses of PGD. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that German infertile couples are as liberal towards PGD for health-related uses as in other western countries. They would legalize and use PGD to raise the rates to get pregnant and to avoid severe diseases of the offspring. Taking the opinions of German infertile couples into consideration could help redefine and reframe the public debate towards legalization of PGD and the moral status of the embryo in Germany.

[Demands for an internationalisation of German research as illustrated by the example of the journal "Das Gesundheitswesen". A contribution to the quality assurance of applied research]. / Die Forderung nach Internationalisierung der deutschen Forschung am Beispiel der Zeitschrift "Das Gesundheitswesen". Ein Beitrag zur Qualitätssicherung anwendungsbezogener Forschung.

OBJECTIVES: Basing on the recent discussion on internationalisation of German research publications, the most recent volume of "Das Gesundheitswesen" was bibliometrically analysed. METHODS: 125 articles were compared with respect to citing sources, the rate of self-citations, the number of times English or German journals or books were cited in the year 2001, the acceptance rate of the international state of research and of its leading representatives. These are indicators of scientific quality. RESULTS: The interdisciplinary approach by "Das Gesundheitswesen" has proven successful in view of certain indicators of scientific quality. CONCLUSION: Related to scientific quality standards "Das Gesundheitswesen" has achieved a good impact in the scientific community but some details require to be changed.