Prevalence of Body Dysmorphic Disorder in Private Aesthetic Clinical Settings in Four Latin American Countries: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background

Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is a psychiatric condition characterized by persistent concern with non-existent or minor defects in one's physical appearance. BDD can be difficult to identify as patients often have limited insight into the condition.

Objective

We aimed to determine the prevalence of BDD in patients presenting to private aesthetic clinical settings in four Latin American countries.

Methods

We conducted a cross-sectional study From August to October 2022 to evaluate the prevalence of BDD among 360 patients seeking nonsurgical cosmetic procedures in Chile, Mexico, Argentina, and Colombia using the Dysmorphic Concern Questionnaire (DCQ). We reported prevalence estimates for the lowest and highest previously proposed DCQ cutoff points.

Results

The DCQ total scores in the study population ranged from 0 to 21, with a mean total score of 5.1 ± 3.4. The prevalence of positive screening results for BDD (total DCQ score ≥ 9) was 15.8%. The prevalence of a likely diagnosis of BDD (total DCQ score of ¥ 17) was 0.83%.

Limitations

The convenience sample limited the generalizability of the findings to Latin America.

Conclusion

We encourage colleagues to be more mindful of this diagnosis and to facilitate earlier psychological evaluation in patients who are positive for BDD.

Level of Evidence III

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