EPA-0175 – Life satisfaction and quality of life in adolescents with grade III microtia: the effect of improved body image disturbance after ear reconstructive surgery

Abstract

the physical deformity of microtia has a significant emotional impact for the patients. To evaluate life satisfaction and health related quality of life in adolescents with grade III microtia before and one year after ear reconstructive surgery. In a prospective cohort study, 20 adolescents (aged 13–18 years) with grade III microtia (group I) presenting for ear reconstructive surgery were compared with 20 matched, healthy, adolescents (group II) with regards to life satisfaction, health related quality of life and body image disturbance. Assessment was done using Students’ Life Satisfaction Scale (SLSS), pediatric quality of life inventoryTM version 4.0 (self and parent report) and Body Image Disturbance Questionnaire (BIDQ) respectively. These measures were repeated again to the patients 1 year after the surgery. There were a significantly higher BIDQ, lower SLSS, total, psychosocial health summary, emotional functioning and social functioning (self and parent) mean scores (P<0.001) in group I compared with group II before the surgery. There was a significant improvement in life satisfaction, psychosocial health and body image disturbance in group I one year after the surgery (P<0.001). The improvement in body image disturbance was the only significant predictor for the improvement in life satisfaction (R 2 = 0.52, B = −0.79 and P = 0.002) and psychosocial health (R 2 = 0.56, B = −0.81 and P = 0.001). Ear reconstructive surgery was found to be an effective operation that leads to improvement in body image disturbance with subsequent improvement in life satisfaction and psychosocial health.