ABSTRACT
Introduction: Cosmetic behavior is an important daily activity, especially for women, because it increases visual attractiveness, self-confidence, and positive emotions. However, it is unknown whether a relationship exists between physiological measures and subjective experiences during the series of cosmetic behaviors. Methods: Electroencephalograms (EEG) and electrocardiograms (ECG) from thirty female participants who were asked to look in a mirror after applying skincare, as well as base, eye, cheek, and lip makeup were recorded. The price range of cosmetic products was also considered. Subjective evaluations of the skin surface, emotions, and self-confidence were equally measured after looking in the mirror at each step of the cosmetic behavior. Linear mixed models were fitted to examine whether the subjective experience could be explained by the variety of cosmetic products and/or physiological responses. Results: The subjective evaluation was summarized into the following three factors using a factor analysis: self-confidence, hedonic perception, and negative emotion. Each theta-band (4-6 Hz) power, alpha-band (8-13 Hz) power of the EEG, and heart rate variability measures were subjected to a principal component analysis separately. The linear mixed models indicated that the variation in the self-confidence score and the negative emotion score was explained only by the steps of cosmetic behaviors, that is, self-confidence increased while negative emotions decreased as the steps of cosmetic behaviors proceeded. On the other hand, the hedonic perception score was explained by the interaction of the steps of cosmetic behaviors and price, indicating that positive tactile perception and positive emotion were higher when luxury cosmetic products were applied than when affordable products were applied. Furthermore, the model indicated that the hedonic perception score was positively associated with the alpha-band power over occipital sites whereas sympathetic nervous system activity was negatively associated with the alpha-band power over lateral central sites. Discussion: These results suggest that positive perceptual and emotional experiences are associated with greater attention to somatosensory information than to visual information and sympathetic autonomic nervous system activities. The current results also emphasize the possibility of using physiological measurements as objective measures of cosmetic behavior.
ABSTRACT
AIMS: This study aimed to ascertain the number of patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) and transplant-ineligible patients with multiple myeloma (MM) not recommended by their physicians for optimal drug treatment or who refuse, discontinue, reduce, or skip treatment owing to cost in Japan. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among hematologists, hematologic oncologists, and oncologists in Japan treating ≥1 patient with CML or ≥5 transplant-ineligible patients with MM per year. RESULTS: A total of 212 physicians participated: 105 treating patients with CML and 107 treating transplant-ineligible patients with MM. While treatment cost did not lead to non-optimal treatment most patients, physicians reported that they recommended non-optimal treatment to 6.53% of their patients with CML and 1.41% of their transplant-ineligible patients with MM, that 1.51 and 0.35% of their patients, respectively, refused treatment and that 1.97 and 0.71% discontinued treatment owing to treatment cost. However, no significant differences in the effect of treatment cost on recommendation, discontinuation, refusal, or reduction of treatment were observed. Non-recommendation of optimal treatment owing to treatment cost was most common for third-line CML and fourth-line transplant-ineligible MM treatment. Discontinuation due to treatment cost was most common in third-line treatment for both. CONCLUSION: Our results show that non-optimal treatment due to treatment cost occurs among some physicians in Japan for patients with CML and transplant-ineligible patients with MM, but it may be limited to a small percentage of patients. Further research is needed to identify the drivers of treatment decisions for physicians and patients, including those involving treatment cost.
