1
|
Cheung VHI, Christie LJ, Maister T, Higgins D, Williams D, Woods N, Armstrong M, Hart S. Identifying potential cases of eating disorders in an acute medical hospital. Int J Eat Disord 2024. [PMID: 38647421 DOI: 10.1002/eat.24203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2023] [Revised: 03/12/2024] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To identify patients presenting to an acute medical hospital with common signs and symptoms that occur in people with eating disorders (EDs), and determine by retrospective file audit if these are diagnosed cases of an ED. METHOD The investigators screened electronic medical records of people 16 years and older for common signs and symptoms of an ED such as hypokalemia, in patients presenting to an acute hospital in Sydney, Australia from 2018 to 2020. Cases where the clinical finding was unexplained had their file audited. Cases with a known ED diagnosis or coded with an ED were also retrieved to audit. RESULTS Investigators identified 192 definite ED cases with a total of 598 episodes of care from 2018 to 2020 presenting to the hospital. Eighty-three cases were identified as possible EDs due to unexplained clinical signs consistent with an ED, but were not confirmed cases due to lack of clinical history in the file. Only 19.1% of presentations were diagnostically coded with an ED in the electronic medical record. DISCUSSION Our study revealed a large number of definite ED cases presenting to an acute medical hospital via the emergency department, who were not recognized as having an ED. Greater awareness of clinical signs and symptoms of an ED, such as unexplained low body mass index and hypokalemia, is necessary among acute care clinicians. Correctly identifying EDs in those seeking somatic care should be a public health priority, to facilitate timely and equitable access to diagnostic assessment and evidence based treatment. PUBLIC SIGNIFICANCE People with eating disorders (EDs) present to acute care settings and have a relatively high utilization of generalist health services with nonspecific problems such as abdominal pain. An enhanced understanding of healthcare utilization by people with EDs, who may not disclose their symptoms, is crucial for improving access to treatment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Lauren J Christie
- Allied Health Research Unit, St Vincent's Health Network Sydney, Australia
- School of Allied Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Australian Catholic University, North Sydney, Australia
- Nursing Research Institute, St Vincent's Health Network Sydney, St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne & Australian Catholic University, Australia
| | - Terri Maister
- Nutrition and Dietetic Services, St Vincent's Health Network Sydney, Australia
| | - Devlin Higgins
- The O'Brien Centre Mental Health Services, St Vincent's Health Network Sydney, Australia
| | - David Williams
- Gastroenterology and Hepatology, St Vincent's Health Network Sydney, Australia
| | - Nikki Woods
- Emergency Department, St Vincent's Health Network Sydney, Australia
| | - Melissa Armstrong
- Nutrition and Dietetic Services, St Vincent's Health Network Sydney, Australia
| | - Susan Hart
- Nutrition and Dietetic Services, St Vincent's Health Network Sydney, Australia
- Eating Disorders and Nutrition Research Group, Western Sydney University, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Castellini G, Cassioli E, Rossi E, Marchesoni G, Cerini G, Pastore E, De Bonfioli Cavalcabo' N, Rotella F, Mezzani B, Alterini B, Lucarelli S, Magazzini S, Corazzesi P, Caini S, Ricca V. Use and misuse of the emergency room by patients with eating disorders in a matched-cohort analysis: What can we learn from it? Psychiatry Res 2023; 328:115427. [PMID: 37647700 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2023.115427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2023] [Revised: 08/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/19/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
Abstract
We examined the pattern of access to hospital emergency room (hER) in 2018-2021 among patients with eating disorders (ED) from Florence, Italy, diagnosed during 1994-2018, using a matched cohort design. We included 902 ED patients and an equal number of sex-, age-, and residence-matched individuals. We fitted conditional Poisson regression models with robust variance estimator to estimate incidence rate ratios (IRR) and 95% confidence intervals. ED patients accessed hER more than twice as often as matched individuals: the IRR was 2.11 (1.21-3.70), 2.02 (1.36-3.00), and 2.49 (1.71-3.61) among AN, BN, and BED patients. Factors associated with increased hER use were older age (≥40 years; for AN patients, also younger age, <20 years), BMI ≤ 16 kg/m2 (for AN), and psychopathological severity. The rise in access to hER was particularly marked during the early phases of the COVID-19 pandemic and declined only partially thereafter. Acute psychiatric symptoms and non-specific medical conditions represented the main causes of increased access to hER. Use of hER was more often inappropriate among ED patients than matched individuals. Integration of primary and mental health care may be necessary to counteract the high and often inappropriate use of hER by patients with ED.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Giovanni Castellini
- Psychiatry Unit, Department of Health Sciences, University of Florence, Florence, Italy; Psychiatry Unit, Careggi University Hospital, Florence, Italy
| | - Emanuele Cassioli
- Psychiatry Unit, Department of Health Sciences, University of Florence, Florence, Italy; Psychiatry Unit, Careggi University Hospital, Florence, Italy
| | - Eleonora Rossi
- Psychiatry Unit, Department of Health Sciences, University of Florence, Florence, Italy; Psychiatry Unit, Careggi University Hospital, Florence, Italy
| | - Giorgia Marchesoni
- Psychiatry Unit, Department of Health Sciences, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Gabriele Cerini
- Postgraduate School in Hygiene and Preventive Medicine, University of Florence, Florence 50134, Italy
| | - Elisa Pastore
- Clinical Epidemiology Unit, Institute for Cancer Research, Prevention and Clinical Network (ISPRO), Florence, Italy
| | - Nora De Bonfioli Cavalcabo'
- Cancer Risk Factors and Lifestyle Epidemiology Unit, Institute for Cancer Research, Prevention and Clinical Network (ISPRO), Florence, Italy
| | - Francesco Rotella
- Psychiatry Unit, Department of Health Sciences, University of Florence, Florence, Italy; Psychiatry Unit, Careggi University Hospital, Florence, Italy
| | | | - Brunetto Alterini
- Division of Cardiovascular and Perioperative Medicine, Careggi University Hospital, Florence, Italy
| | - Stefano Lucarelli
- Eating Disorders Unit, Central Tuscany Local Health Authority, Florence, Italy
| | - Simone Magazzini
- Emergency Medicine Unit, Ospedale Santo Stefano, Emergency Department ASL Toscana Centro, Prato, Italy
| | - Patrizia Corazzesi
- Emergency Medicine Unit, Ospedale Santo Stefano, Emergency Department ASL Toscana Centro, Prato, Italy
| | - Saverio Caini
- Cancer Risk Factors and Lifestyle Epidemiology Unit, Institute for Cancer Research, Prevention and Clinical Network (ISPRO), Florence, Italy.
| | - Valdo Ricca
- Psychiatry Unit, Department of Health Sciences, University of Florence, Florence, Italy; Psychiatry Unit, Careggi University Hospital, Florence, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Tseng MC, Tu CY. Studies on eating disorders in Taiwan: Measurements, epidemiology, comorbidities, and health-care use. TAIWANESE JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRY 2023. [DOI: 10.4103/tpsy.tpsy_2_23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
|
4
|
Couturier J, Gayowsky A, Findlay S, Webb C, Sami S, Chan AKC, Chanchlani R, Kurdyak P. A retrospective cohort study examining health care utilization patterns in individuals diagnosed with an eating disorder in childhood and/or adolescence. Int J Eat Disord 2022; 55:1316-1330. [PMID: 35920409 DOI: 10.1002/eat.23789] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2022] [Revised: 07/15/2022] [Accepted: 07/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study examined a 2-year period following an eating disorder (ED) diagnosis in order to determine patterns of health care utilization. METHOD We conducted a retrospective cohort study of children (n = 1560) diagnosed with an ED between 2000 and 2017. The ED diagnosis was made at a tertiary level hospital for children and adolescents presenting for outpatient assessment by specialist adolescent medicine physicians and recorded in a program database over this period of time. We then created three sex- and age-matched comparison cohorts using provincial health administrative databases including: a general population cohort, a diabetes cohort (to compare nonmental health care utilization) and a mood disorder cohort (to compare mental health care utilization). Outcomes included hospitalizations, emergency department visits, as well as general practitioner, psychiatrist, and pediatrician visits. Odds ratios (dichotomous outcomes) and rate ratios (continuous outcomes) were calculated. RESULTS Compared to the general population cohort, the ED cohort had higher odds and rates of all types of health care utilization. Compared to the diabetes cohort, the ED cohort had higher odds of nonmental health-related admissions (OR 1.45, 95% CI 1.09-1.95) and higher rates of nonmental health-related emergency department visits (RR 1.59, 95% CI 1.18-2.13). Compared to the mood disorder cohort, the ED cohort had higher rates of pediatrician visits, which were mental health-related (RR 14.88, 95% CI 10.64-20.82), however most other types of mental health service utilization were lower. DISCUSSION These patterns indicate that the service needs of young people diagnosed with EDs are higher than those with diabetes with respect to nonmental health admissions and emergency department visits, while in terms of mental health service utilization, there appears to be a lack of use of mental health services compared to youth with mood disorders with the exception of pediatrician mental health visits. These findings must be interpreted in the context of under-detection and under-treatment of EDs. PUBLIC SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Our study found that the health service needs of young people with EDs are higher than those with diabetes with respect to admissions and emergency department visits, while there appears to be a lack of use of mental health services compared to youth with mood disorders with the exception of pediatrician mental health visits.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Couturier
- Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry & Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - Sheri Findlay
- Division of Adolescent Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Cheryl Webb
- McMaster Children's Hospital, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Sadaf Sami
- Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry & Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Anthony K C Chan
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Rahul Chanchlani
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Pediatrics, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada
| | - Paul Kurdyak
- Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Yan CL, Kao LT, Yeh MK, Chien WC, Yeh CB. Healthcare utilisation for eating disorders among patients with depression: a cross-sectional study in Taiwan. BMJ Open 2019; 9:e032108. [PMID: 31888926 PMCID: PMC6937097 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2019-032108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Although depressed patients may have a comorbid eating disorder (ED), to date, no study has focused on healthcare utilisation among this population. This study was designed to investigate the characteristics of healthcare service utilisation among depressed patients with ED. DESIGN A cross-sectional study. SETTING This population-based study used claims data from Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research database between 2001 and 2012. PARTICIPANTS The study involved 1270 participants. These included 254 depressed individuals with ED and 1016 propensity score-matched depressed individuals without ED. OUTCOME MEASURES We tracked each patient for a 1 year period to evaluate their healthcare service utilisation, including outpatient visits, inpatient days, and costs for psychiatry and non-psychiatry services. We performed a Mann-Whitney U test to compare outcome variables in healthcare service utilisation between the two groups. RESULTS Patients with both depression and ED had significantly more outpatient visits (32.2 vs 28.9, p=0.023), outpatient costs (US$1089 vs US$877, p<0.001) and total costs (US$1356 vs US$1296, p<0.001) than comparison patients. For psychiatric services, patients with depression and ED had more outpatient visits (11.0 vs 6.8, p<0.001), outpatient costs (US$584 vs US$320, p<0.001) and total costs (US$657 vs US$568, p<0.001) than those without ED. For non-psychiatric services, there was no significant difference for all utilisation. This indicates that the total costs were about 1.0-fold greater for depression patient with ED than those without ED. CONCLUSION Depression patients with ED had more outpatient visits, outpatient costs and total costs of healthcare services than those without ED.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chiu-Lan Yan
- Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan
- School of Pharmacy, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Li-Ting Kao
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan
- School of Pharmacy, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Life Sciences, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Ming-Kung Yeh
- School of Pharmacy, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Wu-Chien Chien
- Graduate Institute of Life Sciences, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan
- Department of Medical Research, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan
- School of Public Health, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chin-Bin Yeh
- Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan
- Department of Psychiatry and Keelung branch, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
|