Body Cathexis among Stroke Survivors: A Cross-Sectional Study

Area of Science:

• Rehabilitation Medicine
• Psychology
• Public Health

Background:

• Stroke significantly impacts survivors' quality of life, leading to functional dependence and psychological distress.
• Body cathexis, a measure of body image satisfaction, is often negatively affected by the physical and emotional challenges post-stroke.
• Disturbances in body image, including stress and anxiety, are common among stroke survivors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate and understand the body cathexis of individuals who have experienced a stroke.
• To identify specific body parts or functions that contribute to body image dissatisfaction in stroke survivors.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional survey design was employed in two rural community settings in Kozhikode district, Kerala.
• 151 stroke survivors were recruited using purposive sampling.
• The Body Cathexis Scale (BCS) was administered to assess participants' perceived body image.

Main Results:

• The mean age of participants was 64.58 years, with a majority being male (53.6%) and having ischemic stroke (76.2%).
• Significant dissatisfaction was reported for energy level (98%), wrist function (88.1%), elimination (86.1%), fingers (76.2%), and arms (73.5%).
• No significant differences in body cathexis scores were found based on the side of the brain lesion, gender, or duration of stroke (p>0.05).

Conclusions:

• Stroke survivors frequently experience disturbances in body image, influenced by factors like low energy and impaired limb function.
• Specific challenges such as diminished energy levels, upper extremity dysfunction, and altered elimination patterns are key contributors to poor body image.
• Body cathexis in stroke survivors is not significantly influenced by the side of the lesion, gender, or the time elapsed since the stroke.