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What treatments patients seek after inpatient care: A follow-up of 24 patients with anorexia nervosa

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Eating and Weight Disorders - Studies on Anorexia, Bulimia and Obesity Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Background: To determine the kind of treatment patients with anorexia nervosa (AN) seek for their eating disorder following hospitalization. Method: Twenty-four women previously treated in the Toronto General Hospital were interviewed to determine the nature and amount of treatment received following discharge. Results: Mean age: 31 years (SD=9.18). Mean body mass index (BMI) at assessment: 19.97 (SD=4.00). All had seen at least one or more professionals, mainly family doctors and psychiatrists, within the first 6 months. Mean hours of treatment: 85. Eighty-eight per cent had taken psychotropic medication (most commonly antidepressants). Symptomatic and asymptomatic patients did not differ in amount of treatment received. Conclusions: Regardless of their symptom state, AN patients continue to use the health system heavily following weight restoration. Their aftercare is thus essential for ongoing maintenance treatment and to prevent relapse, and training primary-care physicians to provide it may be one way to contain health care costs.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry, Toronto General Hospital, University of Toronto, 200 Elizabeth Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5G 2C4, Canada

    S. Grigoriadis, Allan Kaplan M.D. (Head Program FRCP(c) for Eating Disorders), J. Carter & B. Woodside

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  1. S. Grigoriadis
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  2. Allan Kaplan M.D.
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  3. J. Carter
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  4. B. Woodside
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Grigoriadis, S., Kaplan, A., Carter, J. et al. What treatments patients seek after inpatient care: A follow-up of 24 patients with anorexia nervosa. Eat Weight Disord 6, 115–120 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03339760

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