Therapy outcome of day treatment for people with anorexia nervosa before and during the COVID-19 pandemic

TY - JOUR

T1 - Therapy outcome of day treatment for people with anorexia nervosa before and during the COVID-19 pandemic

AU - Carr, Anna

AU - Toloza, Cindy

AU - Li, Zhuo

AU - Nazar, Bruno Palazzo

AU - Himmerich, Hubertus

N1 - Funding Information: informationNational Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) at South London; Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (SLaM); King's College LondonThe authors would like to thank all the patients and clinicians who contributed to the present study. The study did not receive specific funding. HH has received salary support from the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (SLaM) and King's College London. Publisher Copyright: © 2022 The Authors. Brain and Behavior published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.

PY - 2022/6

Y1 - 2022/6

N2 - Objective: The current research aimed to compare clinical outcome measures of two National Eating Disorder (ED) Day Services at the Maudsley Hospital from before the COVID-19 lockdown, when treatment was face to face, with after the lockdown when treatment moved online. Method: Clinical outcome measures collected as part of the admission and discharge process were compared from the beginning and end of treatment for patients treated either via face-to-face or online delivery. Twenty-nine patients’ data were analyzed (89% of them female, 11% male, 89% from White ethnic backgrounds, 11% from BAME ethnic backgrounds and a mean age of 25.99 years). Additionally, the mean change in outcome measures was also compared between the two groups (pre-lockdown face to face and during lockdown online). Results: Treatment delivered face to face led to significant improvements in body mass index (BMI) but not in Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDEQ) Global and Work and Social Adjustment Scale (WSAS) Total scores. In contrast, treatment delivered online led to significant improvements in EDEQ Global and WSAS Total scores but not in BMI. Neither one of the delivery modalities created significantly larger mean changes in any of the clinical outcome measures than the other. Conclusions: Both face-to-face and online delivery of eating disorder day treatment show some success. Suggested improvements for using online delivery of treatment include implementing additional support opportunities, adapting the online format to improve communication and commitment and using a hybrid model of specific face-to-face elements with some online treatment.

AB - Objective: The current research aimed to compare clinical outcome measures of two National Eating Disorder (ED) Day Services at the Maudsley Hospital from before the COVID-19 lockdown, when treatment was face to face, with after the lockdown when treatment moved online. Method: Clinical outcome measures collected as part of the admission and discharge process were compared from the beginning and end of treatment for patients treated either via face-to-face or online delivery. Twenty-nine patients’ data were analyzed (89% of them female, 11% male, 89% from White ethnic backgrounds, 11% from BAME ethnic backgrounds and a mean age of 25.99 years). Additionally, the mean change in outcome measures was also compared between the two groups (pre-lockdown face to face and during lockdown online). Results: Treatment delivered face to face led to significant improvements in body mass index (BMI) but not in Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDEQ) Global and Work and Social Adjustment Scale (WSAS) Total scores. In contrast, treatment delivered online led to significant improvements in EDEQ Global and WSAS Total scores but not in BMI. Neither one of the delivery modalities created significantly larger mean changes in any of the clinical outcome measures than the other. Conclusions: Both face-to-face and online delivery of eating disorder day treatment show some success. Suggested improvements for using online delivery of treatment include implementing additional support opportunities, adapting the online format to improve communication and commitment and using a hybrid model of specific face-to-face elements with some online treatment.

KW - anorexia nervosa

KW - COVID-19

KW - day treatment

KW - pandemic

KW - remote treatment

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85130296712&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1002/brb3.2604

DO - 10.1002/brb3.2604

M3 - Article

C2 - 35588369

AN - SCOPUS:85130296712

SN - 2162-3279

VL - 12

JO - Brain and Behavior

JF - Brain and Behavior

IS - 6

M1 - e2604

ER -