Abstract
Background
Perspectives of young people with eating disorders and their parents on helpful aspects of care should be incorporated into evidence based practice and service design, but data are limited.
Aims
To explore patient and parent perspectives on positive and negative aspects of care for young people with eating disorders.
Method
Six online focus groups with nineteen young people aged 16-25 years with existing or past eating disorder and eleven parents.
Results
Thematic analysis identified three key themes: the need to (1) shift from a weight-focused to a more holistic, individualised and consistent care approach, with a better balance in targeting psychological and physical problems from an early stage; (2) improve professionals’ knowledge and attitude towards patients and their families at all levels of care from primary to ‘truly specialist’; (3) enhance peer and family support.
Conclusions
Young people and parents identified an array of limitations in approaches to care for young people with eating disorders and raised the need for change, particularly a move away from a primarily weight-focused treatment and a stronger emphasis on psychological needs and individualised care.
Perspectives of young people with eating disorders and their parents on helpful aspects of care should be incorporated into evidence based practice and service design, but data are limited.
Aims
To explore patient and parent perspectives on positive and negative aspects of care for young people with eating disorders.
Method
Six online focus groups with nineteen young people aged 16-25 years with existing or past eating disorder and eleven parents.
Results
Thematic analysis identified three key themes: the need to (1) shift from a weight-focused to a more holistic, individualised and consistent care approach, with a better balance in targeting psychological and physical problems from an early stage; (2) improve professionals’ knowledge and attitude towards patients and their families at all levels of care from primary to ‘truly specialist’; (3) enhance peer and family support.
Conclusions
Young people and parents identified an array of limitations in approaches to care for young people with eating disorders and raised the need for change, particularly a move away from a primarily weight-focused treatment and a stronger emphasis on psychological needs and individualised care.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Journal | British Journal of Psychiatry Open |
| Volume | 5 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| Publication status | Published - 10 Jan 2019 |
Keywords
- Eating disorders
- Care experiences
- Qualitative