HIGHER BODY AWARENESS IN WOMEN

U. Danner^1,2, A. Avian³, M. Kofler¹, C. Mittermaier¹

¹Kepler University Hospital, Institute of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Linz, Austria, ²University of Applied Sciences FH Joanneum, Health Studies/Physiotherapy, Graz, Austria, ³Medical University of Graz, Institute for Medical Informatics, Statistics and Documentation, Graz, Austria

Background: In many disciplines more and more attention is paid to the multifaceted expressions of body awareness (BA), new ways of assessing BA and the exploration of correlating factors. The Awareness Body Chart Test (ABC) provides an immediate picture of the intensity of the subjective perception of the body parts. However, too less is known about factors correlating with the scores of this test.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate which factors correlate with ABC scores.

Methods: In an explorative study with 96 healthy adults (female 62.5%; median age = 35 (IQR 28-52)) the following questionnaires were administered: the ABC, the Simple Physical Activity Questionnaire (SIMPAQ), the Short Form Health Survey (SF-12), the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI), a German self-rating mood scale, and a questionnaire on demographic data. The association of the ABC total score with the different questionnaires was calculated using Spearman rank correlations coefficient. For group comparisons Mann-Whitney-U Test was used.

Results: Men had a lower ABC total score than women (median ABC total score = 3.3 (IQR 3.2-3.8) vs. 3.7 (IQR 3.3-4.2), p = 0.020). Participants with high school degree showed a higher score than those with an additional university degree (median ABC total score = 4.0 (IQR 3.4-4.3) vs. 3.4 (IQR 3.2-3.8), p = 0.038). Group differences were neither found in age-groups, body mass index-groups, experience versus no experience with massage therapies, nor in medical job versus non-medical job. In the SIMPAQ, a weak correlation of the ABC total score was found with sports activities (ρ = 0.22, p = 0.034). A correlation of the ABC total score was neither found in the SF-12, the BSI scores nor in the mood scale.

Conclusions: ABC scores may correlate with gender, physical activity and the level of education. In this study with healthy participants, no correlation with the ABC total score was found in health status, mood, age, body mass index, or in medical profession.

Implications: Information about BA and correlating factors may be indicative in the use of physiotherapeutic measures. Physical activity seems to play a role in BA. This study serves as a basis for further studies to investigate factors correlating with BA in participants with different medical conditions.

Funding acknowledgements: Research subsidies granted by the government of Upper Austria, the City of Linz and theKepler University Hospital GmbH.

Keywords:
Body awareness
Body perception
Physical activity

Topics:
Mental health
Health promotion & wellbeing/healthy ageing/physical activity
Neurology

Did this work require ethics approval? Yes

Institution: Kepler University Hospital, Linz, Austria

Committee: Medical Faculty of the Johannes Kepler University of Linz

Ethics number: EC-number: 1087/2021