Impact of COVID-19 lockdown measures on a cohort of eating disorders patients
Abstract Background Lockdown implemented to prevent the COVID-19 spread resulted in marked changes in the lifestyle. The objective of the current study was to assess the impact of lockdown measures on a cohort of eating disorder (ED) patients being followed as part of an ongoing naturalistic treatme...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2020-11-01
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| Series: | Journal of Eating Disorders |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40337-020-00340-1 |
| _version_ | 1797727345206886400 |
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| author | Paulo P. P. Machado Ana Pinto-Bastos Rita Ramos Tânia F. Rodrigues Elsa Louro Sónia Gonçalves Isabel Brandão Ana Vaz |
| author_facet | Paulo P. P. Machado Ana Pinto-Bastos Rita Ramos Tânia F. Rodrigues Elsa Louro Sónia Gonçalves Isabel Brandão Ana Vaz |
| author_sort | Paulo P. P. Machado |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Lockdown implemented to prevent the COVID-19 spread resulted in marked changes in the lifestyle. The objective of the current study was to assess the impact of lockdown measures on a cohort of eating disorder (ED) patients being followed as part of an ongoing naturalistic treatment study. Methods Ninety-nine patients aged 18 or older, currently or previously, in treatment at a Portuguese specialized hospital unit were contacted by phone and invited to participate in the current survey. Fifty-nine agreed to be interviewed by phone, and 43 agreed to respond to a set of self-report measures of ED symptoms, emotion regulation difficulties, clinical impairment, negative urgency, and COVID-19 impact, during the week after the end of the lockdown period. Results Data showed that of the 26 patients currently in treatment: 8 remained unchanged (31%), 7 deteriorated (27%), and 11 reliably improved (42%). Of the 17 participants not currently in treatment: 3 deteriorated (18%), 9 remained unchanged (53%), and 5 (29%) improved after the lockdown period. The Coronavirus Impact Scale showed that most patients considered their routines moderately or extremely impacted, experienced stress related to coronavirus, and showed difficulty in maintaining physical exercise and feeding routines. Results suggest that higher impact of COVID-19 lockdown was significantly correlated with eating disorder symptoms and associated psychopathology, impulsivity, difficulties in emotion regulation and clinical impairment measured at post-lockdown. In addition, the impact of COVID-19 and lockdown measures on clinical impairment was mediated by difficulties in emotion regulation. Conclusions Findings suggest that some ED patients may experience worsening of their condition, especially if associated with difficulties in emotion regulation, and these difficulties might be exacerbated in the context of a stressful crisis and lockdown measures, highlighting the need for intervention strategies to mitigate its negative impact. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T10:58:29Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5b63eabb21e64326a58d18a5e7165e22 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2050-2974 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T10:58:29Z |
| publishDate | 2020-11-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Eating Disorders |
| spelling | doaj.art-5b63eabb21e64326a58d18a5e7165e222023-09-02T06:00:15ZengBMCJournal of Eating Disorders2050-29742020-11-01811810.1186/s40337-020-00340-1Impact of COVID-19 lockdown measures on a cohort of eating disorders patientsPaulo P. P. Machado0Ana Pinto-Bastos1Rita Ramos2Tânia F. Rodrigues3Elsa Louro4Sónia Gonçalves5Isabel Brandão6Ana Vaz7Psychotherapy and Psychopathology Research Unit – Psychology Research Centre, University of Minho, School of PsychologyPsychotherapy and Psychopathology Research Unit – Psychology Research Centre, University of Minho, School of PsychologyPsychotherapy and Psychopathology Research Unit – Psychology Research Centre, University of Minho, School of PsychologyPsychotherapy and Psychopathology Research Unit – Psychology Research Centre, University of Minho, School of PsychologyPsychotherapy and Psychopathology Research Unit – Psychology Research Centre, University of Minho, School of PsychologyPsychotherapy and Psychopathology Research Unit – Psychology Research Centre, University of Minho, School of PsychologyFaculty of Medicine, Psychiatry Department, University Hospital Center of São JoãoPsychotherapy and Psychopathology Research Unit – Psychology Research Centre, University of Minho, School of PsychologyAbstract Background Lockdown implemented to prevent the COVID-19 spread resulted in marked changes in the lifestyle. The objective of the current study was to assess the impact of lockdown measures on a cohort of eating disorder (ED) patients being followed as part of an ongoing naturalistic treatment study. Methods Ninety-nine patients aged 18 or older, currently or previously, in treatment at a Portuguese specialized hospital unit were contacted by phone and invited to participate in the current survey. Fifty-nine agreed to be interviewed by phone, and 43 agreed to respond to a set of self-report measures of ED symptoms, emotion regulation difficulties, clinical impairment, negative urgency, and COVID-19 impact, during the week after the end of the lockdown period. Results Data showed that of the 26 patients currently in treatment: 8 remained unchanged (31%), 7 deteriorated (27%), and 11 reliably improved (42%). Of the 17 participants not currently in treatment: 3 deteriorated (18%), 9 remained unchanged (53%), and 5 (29%) improved after the lockdown period. The Coronavirus Impact Scale showed that most patients considered their routines moderately or extremely impacted, experienced stress related to coronavirus, and showed difficulty in maintaining physical exercise and feeding routines. Results suggest that higher impact of COVID-19 lockdown was significantly correlated with eating disorder symptoms and associated psychopathology, impulsivity, difficulties in emotion regulation and clinical impairment measured at post-lockdown. In addition, the impact of COVID-19 and lockdown measures on clinical impairment was mediated by difficulties in emotion regulation. Conclusions Findings suggest that some ED patients may experience worsening of their condition, especially if associated with difficulties in emotion regulation, and these difficulties might be exacerbated in the context of a stressful crisis and lockdown measures, highlighting the need for intervention strategies to mitigate its negative impact.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40337-020-00340-1COVID-19LockdownEating disordersClinical impairment |
| spellingShingle | Paulo P. P. Machado Ana Pinto-Bastos Rita Ramos Tânia F. Rodrigues Elsa Louro Sónia Gonçalves Isabel Brandão Ana Vaz Impact of COVID-19 lockdown measures on a cohort of eating disorders patients Journal of Eating Disorders COVID-19 Lockdown Eating disorders Clinical impairment |
| title | Impact of COVID-19 lockdown measures on a cohort of eating disorders patients |
| title_full | Impact of COVID-19 lockdown measures on a cohort of eating disorders patients |
| title_fullStr | Impact of COVID-19 lockdown measures on a cohort of eating disorders patients |
| title_full_unstemmed | Impact of COVID-19 lockdown measures on a cohort of eating disorders patients |
| title_short | Impact of COVID-19 lockdown measures on a cohort of eating disorders patients |
| title_sort | impact of covid 19 lockdown measures on a cohort of eating disorders patients |
| topic | COVID-19 Lockdown Eating disorders Clinical impairment |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40337-020-00340-1 |
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