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AUSSIE COSMETIC SURGERY PATIENTS USE MORE HEALTH SERVICES
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Australian women who have had cosmetic surgery
use more health services and are more likely to experience psychological distress, according to a recent survey.
Dr Rafat Hussain and colleagues from the School of Health at the University of New England studied responses from a group of mid-aged women (45-50 years) participating in the Women's Health Australia (WHA) study.
They found that 7% of respondents had had cosmetic surgery, such as for face, breasts, or fat removal.
Dr Hussain said the demand for cosmetic surgery is growing rapidly in Western countries and concern about physical appearance is widespread among the general population.
The study found there was a significant association between having had cosmetic surgery and having a greater number of chronic illnesses.
There was a similarly significant association with using medications for anxiety, sleep disturbances or chronic illness, and with using other health services during the previous 12 months.
"Women employed in professional, administrative and sales positions were more likely to have had cosmetic surgery than women working in trade, mechanical or other occupations," the researchers say in a recent issue of the Medical Journal of Australia.
Dr Hussain said there is some evidence of state-based and regional differences in the use of cosmetic surgery. This may reflect consumer demand, or may be simply due to sampling variation.
Separated or divorced women were more likely to have had cosmetic surgery than currently married women, and women from non-English-speaking countries were less likely to have had cosmetic surgery than women born in Australia.
The survey recommends further research to determine whether having cosmetic surgery is directly related to health conditions or to attitudinal or psychosocial factors.
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