Body Image in a Sample of Adult African American Males and Females with Sickle Cell Disease (SCD)

Sickle cell disease (SCD) affects developmental maturation causing a delay in secondary sex characteristics associated with puberty. There is little data on the impact of SCD on body image, a well-established risk factor for eating disorders among young women. Body dissatisfaction combined with environmental stressors and negative affect may place some men and women with SCD at a higher risk problematic eating behaviors or body change strategies in an attempt to achieve a more idealized body type. The present exploratory study examined the potential associations between SCD, body image, and eating disorders, and provided preliminary data to guide the directions of future investigations. © 2010 Springer Science + Business Media, LLC.

Duke Scholars

Author Miriam Helen Feliu Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Adult Psychiatry & Psychol ...