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Health service utilization for eating disorders: findings from a community-based study
Background: Prior use of health services was examined in a community sample of women with bulimic-type eating disorders.
Method: Participants (n ¼ 159) completed a structured interview for the assessment of eating disorder psychopathology as well as questions concerning treatment-seeking and type of treatment received.
Results: Whereas a minority (40.3%) of participants had received treatment for an eating problem, most had received treatment for a general mental health problem (74.2%) and/or weight loss (72.8%), and all had used one or more self-help treatments. Where treatment was received for an eating or general mental health problem, this was from a primary care practitioner in the vast majority of cases. Only half of those participants who reported marked impairment associated with an eating problem had ever received treatment for such a problem and less than one in five had received such treatment from a mental health professional.
Conclusion: Women with bulimic-type eating disorders rarely receive treatment for an eating problem, but frequently receive treatment for a general mental health problem and/or for weight loss. The findings underscore the importance of programs designed to improve the detection and management of eating disorders in primary care.
History
Publication title
International Journal of Eating DisordersVolume
40Issue
5Pagination
399-408ISSN
0276-3478Department/School
School of Health SciencesPublisher
John Wiley & Sons IncPlace of publication
United StatesRights statement
Copyright 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.Repository Status
- Restricted