The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on help-seeking behaviors in individuals suffering from eating disorders and their caregivers

Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved..

OBJECTIVE: To describe the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on help-seeking behaviors among individuals with eating disorders and caregivers.

METHODS: We analyzed service utilization data from the National Eating Disorder Information Centre (NEDIC). We compared the number of contacts and symptom frequency between the pandemic period and previous years.

RESULTS: NEDIC was contacted 609 times during March 1-April 30, 2020 (72.1% individuals affected by disordered eating, 20.4% caregivers). The number of total contacts significantly increased from 2018 to 2019 and 2018 to 2020 (X2(3) = 50.34, p < .001). Among affected individuals (80.4% women), the number of contacts during the pandemic period was significantly higher (n = 439; X2(2) = 92.74, p < .001) compared to 2018 (n = 197) and 2019 (n = 312). There were higher rates of eating disorder symptoms, anxiety, and depression in 2020 compared to previous years. Thematic analysis of instant chats from the pandemic year revealed four emerging themes: 1) lack of access to treatment, 2) worsening of symptoms, 3) feeling out of control, and 4) need for support.

CONCLUSION: These findings point toward the impact of COVID-19 in individuals affected by disordered eating and hold implications for service delivery during times of crises.

Errataetall:

CommentIn: Gen Hosp Psychiatry. 2021 Sep-Oct;72:147-148. - PMID 34175134

Medienart:

E-Artikel

Erscheinungsjahr:

2020

Erschienen:

2020

Enthalten in:

Zur Gesamtaufnahme - volume:67

Enthalten in:

General hospital psychiatry - 67(2020) vom: 01. Nov., Seite 136-140

Sprache:

Englisch

Beteiligte Personen:

Richardson, Candice [VerfasserIn]
Patton, Megan [VerfasserIn]
Phillips, Suzanne [VerfasserIn]
Paslakis, Georgios [VerfasserIn]

Links:

Volltext

Themen:

COVID-19
Eating disorder
Internet
Journal Article
Psychotherapy
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Treatment

Anmerkungen:

Date Completed 22.12.2020

Date Revised 01.07.2023

published: Print-Electronic

CommentIn: Gen Hosp Psychiatry. 2021 Sep-Oct;72:147-148. - PMID 34175134

Citation Status MEDLINE

doi:

10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2020.10.006

funding:

Förderinstitution / Projekttitel:

PPN (Katalog-ID):

NLM316975990