TY - JOUR
T1 - Does embedding pediatric eating disorder treatment in primary care bridge the access gap?
AU - Lebow, Jocelyn
AU - Billings, Marcie
AU - Mattke, Angela
AU - Partain, Paige
AU - Gewirtz O’Brien, Janna
AU - Narr, Cassandra
AU - Breland, Renee
AU - Jacobson, Robert M.
AU - Loeb, Katharine
AU - Sim, Leslie
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 Taylor & Francis.
PY - 2024
Y1 - 2024
N2 - Given the numerous barriers to accessing child and adolescent eating disorder treatment, there is a need for innovation in how this care is delivered. Primary care-based eating disorder treatment has established proof-of-concept, yet it is unclear whether this model can bridge the treatment-access gap. This retrospective chart review study compared demographic and illness characteristics of 106 adolescents (M age = 15.1 years) SD = 1.8 consecutively evaluated in a primary care-based eating disorder clinic with 103 adolescent patients (M age = 15.2 years) SD = 2.2 seen consecutively in a specialty eating disorder clinic at the same medical center. Relative to adolescents in specialty care, those in the primary care group presented at a significantly higher BMI percentile, had less weight suppression, a shorter illness duration, lower rates of amenorrhea and lower scores on the EDE-Q Dietary Restraint subscale. In addition, more patients in the primary care group identified as non-white and had government/public assistance insurance compared to those in the specialty group. The results suggest that, compared to traditional specialty care clinics, embedded eating disorder treatment in primary care may reach a more racially and socioeconomically diverse group of adolescents when they are earlier in the course of their illness. Future research determining the relative effectiveness of this model as compared to interventions delivered in specialty care is needed.
AB - Given the numerous barriers to accessing child and adolescent eating disorder treatment, there is a need for innovation in how this care is delivered. Primary care-based eating disorder treatment has established proof-of-concept, yet it is unclear whether this model can bridge the treatment-access gap. This retrospective chart review study compared demographic and illness characteristics of 106 adolescents (M age = 15.1 years) SD = 1.8 consecutively evaluated in a primary care-based eating disorder clinic with 103 adolescent patients (M age = 15.2 years) SD = 2.2 seen consecutively in a specialty eating disorder clinic at the same medical center. Relative to adolescents in specialty care, those in the primary care group presented at a significantly higher BMI percentile, had less weight suppression, a shorter illness duration, lower rates of amenorrhea and lower scores on the EDE-Q Dietary Restraint subscale. In addition, more patients in the primary care group identified as non-white and had government/public assistance insurance compared to those in the specialty group. The results suggest that, compared to traditional specialty care clinics, embedded eating disorder treatment in primary care may reach a more racially and socioeconomically diverse group of adolescents when they are earlier in the course of their illness. Future research determining the relative effectiveness of this model as compared to interventions delivered in specialty care is needed.
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U2 - 10.1080/10640266.2023.2299592
DO - 10.1080/10640266.2023.2299592
M3 - Article
C2 - 38206038
AN - SCOPUS:85182183824
SN - 1064-0266
JO - Eating Disorders
JF - Eating Disorders
ER -