Perceived barriers and facilitators towards help‐seeking for eating disorders: A systematic review

Objective: Although developmental milestones have been observed to alter eating disorder (ED) symptom burden, it remains unknown how the transition to university affects symptomatology. To address this gap, we designed a qualitative study to elucidate how students with an ED perceive their general university experience and to describe how the university environment shapes their ED. Method:Undergraduate students who self-reported an ED were recruited through fliers, an undergraduate advocacy organization, and local treatment centers. We conducted audio-recorded semi-structured individual interviews. Two investigators separately coded verbatim transcripts using an editing approach, and final themes emerged from the pattern of descriptors.Results: Fifteen undergraduate students participated. Participants endorsed a variety of ED symptoms and sought various levels of treatment. Most participants transitioned to university with an already-established diagnosis. Participants described that ED symptoms tended to worsen in university for a variety of reasons including (a) minimization of ED severity, (b) loss of external accountability, (c) use of ED symptoms as a coping mechanism, and (d) glorification of ED behaviors in campus diet culture. Subsequently, the ED disrupted the university experience by (e) hindering participants' ability to focus on academic responsibilities and (f) leading to social isolation on campus.Discussion: We identified challenges unique to the university experience that can be addressed by ED treatment teams in order to provide anticipatory guidance and patient-centered care. Study limitations include lack of formal diagnostic ED assessment by research team and sampling of students from one university. K E Y W O R D Seating disorder, qualitative research, student health services, students, universities

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Navigating the university transition among women who self‐report an eating disorder: A qualitative study

Goldschen

Lundblad

Fertig

et al. 2019

“…Several other specific barriers impede seeking and obtaining mental health services generally and specific to eating disorders (Ali et al, ; Andrade et al, ; Corrigan et al, ; Hinshaw & Stier, ). Although their elaboration is beyond the goals of the present article, they are important to mention in the context of understanding and addressing the treatment gap.…”

Section: Critical Gaps In Treatmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Addressing critical gaps in the treatment of eating disorders

Kazdin

Fitzsimmons‐Craft

Wilfley

2017

260

234

Remarkable progress has been made in developing psychosocial interventions for eating disorders and other mental disorders. Two priorities in providing treatment consist of addressing the research-practice gap and the treatment gap. The research-practice gap pertains to the dissemination of evidence-based treatments from controlled settings to routine clinical care. Closing the gap between what is known about effective treatment and what is actually provided to patients who receive care is crucial in improving mental health care, particularly for conditions such as eating disorders. The treatment gap pertains to extending treatments in ways that will reach the large number of people in need of clinical care who currently receive nothing. Currently, in the United States (and worldwide), the vast majority of individuals in need of mental health services for eating disorders and other mental health problems do not receive treatment. This article discusses the approaches required to better ensure: 1) that more people who are receiving treatment obtain high-quality, evidence-based care, using such strategies as train-the-trainer, web-centered training, best-buy interventions, electronic support tools, higher-level support and policy; and 2) that a higher proportion of those who are currently underserved receive treatment, using such strategies as task shifting and disruptive innovations, including treatment delivery via telemedicine, the Internet, and mobile apps.

“…Previous studies identified several significant predictors of treatment seeking among individuals with EDs (see Ali et al, , for a comprehensive review), including high‐ED symptom severity, medical complications, and body image concerns (Cachelin, Rebeck, Veisel, & Striegel‐Moore, ; Cachelin & Striegel‐Moore, ; Forrest et al, ; Hepworth & Paxton, ; Mond et al, ; Schoen et al, ). These findings are likely due to the fact that greater symptom severity, concomitant physical health problems, and body dissatisfaction increase an individual's psychological distress and social/occupational role impairment.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Treatment seeking for eating disorders: Results from a nationally representative study

Bohrer

Carroll

Forbush

et al. 2017

To our knowledge, this was the largest study to characterize predictors of treatment seeking in adults with EDs. Results from this study were consistent with existing literature documenting age and sex differences in treatment seeking among adolescents with an ED. Findings suggest a need for improved ED education and outreach-including greater mental health/ED literacy and decreased stigmatization for patients, providers, and the general public-and additional persuasive public-health messages to change community knowledge about treatment options for younger persons and men with EDs.