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Observers perceived facial paralysis more poorly than patients
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Casual observers and facial paralysis experts had more negative impressions of patients with facial paralysis than the patients themselves, according to recent findings.
In the prospective cohort study, the researchers investigated perceptions of patients with permanent unilateral facial paralysis. Patients rated the severity, attractiveness and quality of life outcomes, while casual observers and experts viewed videos of each patient and then rated them by the same criteria.
The analysis included 40 patient observations, 6,400 casual observer observations and 200 expert observations.
Multivariate analysis results indicated that, on a 100-point scale, observers perceived patients as having a greater severity of paralysis (8.49; 95% CI, −0.65 to 17.64; SE = 4.67). Casual observers also perceived patients as being less attractive (−7.71; 95% CI, −14.92 to −0.5; SE = 3.68) and having poorer quality of life (−7.76; 95% CI, −14.18 to −1.34; SE = 3.28) compared with the perceptions reported by patients.
Other findings showed that observers were less likely than patients to rate the affect as positive (OR = 0.28; 95% CI, 0.14-0.58; SE = 0.1).
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.
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