Ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and eating disorder symptomatology in Canada: implications for mental health care

Abstract

Purpose – There is a gap in the understanding of relationships between socioeconomic status (SES), urban-rural differences, ethnicity and eating disorder symptomatology. This gap has implications for access to treatment and the effectiveness of treatment. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach – Data are presented from a major Canadian survey, analyzing the impact of body mass index (BMI), urban-non-urban residency, income, and ethnicity on eating disorder symptomatology. Findings – One of the strongest findings is that high income non-White women expressed less eating disorder symptomatology than lower income non-White women. Research limitations/implications – Future research needs to consider how factors such as urban residency, exposure to Western “thinness” ideals, and income differentials impact non-White women. Practical implications – Effective treatment of ethnic minority women requires an appreciation of complicated effects of “culture clash,” income and BMI on eating disorder symptomatology. Originality/value – This study makes a unique contribution to the literature by examining relationships between SES (income) and eating disorder symptomatology in White and non-White Canadian women. The review of the scientific literature on ethnic differences in eating disorder symptomatology revealed a disparity gap in treatment. This disparity may be a by-product of bias and lack of understanding of gender or ethnic/cultural differences by practitioners.

Dimensions of Diversity in Sustained Eating Disorder Recovery in Females: A Study of the Predictive Power of Hope, Resilience, and Spirituality

“…Disordered eating symptoms were assessed with a four-item measure, and self-reported height and weight. Similar to Ng et al, 2013, Boisvert andHarrell's (2014) results indicate that while eating disorders are present among older adults, age is negatively correlated with an eating disorder diagnosis.…”

“…In an adult, Canadian sample (n = 1,204), Boisvert and Harrell (2014) utilized telephone survey data to examine the relationships among socioeconomic status, ethnicity, and disordered eating symptoms. Disordered eating symptoms were assessed with a four-item measure, and self-reported height and weight.…”

Evaluating evidence‐based interventions in low socio‐economic‐status populations

“…Similarly, Reagan and Hersch (2005) found that the frequency of binge eating was greater for women who lived in disadvantaged neighborhoods and had a lower family income in the United States. Similarly, Boisvert and Harrell (2014) found that women in a Canadian sample of lower SES backgrounds had higher levels of ED symptomology than women from higher SES backgrounds.…”

Disappearing in plain sight: An exploratory study of co-occurring eating and substance abuse dis/orders among homeless youth in Vancouver, Canada

“…I take up Heid Nokleby's (2012) suggestion in a recent review to fill a methodological gap in the literature by adopting a qualitative approach to data generation, as quantitatively-oriented research (see Ram et al 2008;Newman and Gold 1992;Simioni and Cottencin 2015) often fails to illuminate the underlying attitudes, perceptions, and structural influences that motivate co-occurring disordered eating and substance abuse. I also draw from emerging research that challenges the myth that males and gender-fluid individuals are unlikely to experience disordered eating (Calzo et al 2016;Cohn et al 2016;Soban 2006), as well as studies that highlight eating disorder symptoms among racial or ethnic minorities (Boisvert & Harrell 2014;Chao et al 2016;Craig and Shisslak 2003), by including youth of all backgrounds in my sample. How, I wonder, does multidimensional structural marginalization intersect with the deeply personal experiences of disordered eating and substance abuse?…”