Facial Injuries May Lead To Depression, Anxiety
August 25, 2009

by Nancy Volkers
InteliHealth News Service

INTELIHEALTH - Facial injuries can dramatically increase the risk for depression, a study has found.

Researchers from Birmingham in the United Kingdom did the study. They focused on visitors to one outpatient clinic. They compared two groups of 50 people each. People in one group were treated for trauma to the face and/or jaw. The other group had elective (optional) surgery to the face or jaw.

Of the people who had facial injuries, 1 in 5 scored high on measures of anxiety and depression. People who had been injured were nine times as likely to be depressed as those getting surgery. Some groups were more likely to be depressed:

• Women
• Those with at least one permanent facial scar
• Those with a history of a psychiatric condition

People who believed they were seriously disfigured were also more likely to feel anxious or depressed. Researchers said that people who have facial injuries should be screened for anxiety and depression and treated accordingly.

The study appears in the August 17 issue of the journal Injury.