Why Do Women with Eating Disorders Decline Treatment? A Qualitative Study of Barriers to Specialized Eating Disorder Treatment
Despite the fact that eating disorders (EDs) are conditions that are potentially life-threatening, many people decline treatment. The aim of this study was to investigate why women decline specialized ED treatment, including their viewpoints on treatment services. Eighteen semi-structured qualitativ...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-11-01
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| Series: | Nutrients |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/13/11/4033 |
| _version_ | 1797508946419777536 |
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| author | Sofie T. Andersen Thea Linkhorst Frederik A. Gildberg Magnus Sjögren |
| author_facet | Sofie T. Andersen Thea Linkhorst Frederik A. Gildberg Magnus Sjögren |
| author_sort | Sofie T. Andersen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Despite the fact that eating disorders (EDs) are conditions that are potentially life-threatening, many people decline treatment. The aim of this study was to investigate why women decline specialized ED treatment, including their viewpoints on treatment services. Eighteen semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with women who had declined inpatient or outpatient specialized ED treatment. A thematic analysis revealed five main themes: (1) Disagreement on treatment needs, (2) rigid standard procedures, (3) failure to listen, (4) deprivation of identity, and (5) mistrust and fear. The women had declined ED treatment because they believed that treatment was only focused on nutritional rehabilitation and that it failed to address their self-identified needs. From their perspectives treatment was characterized by rigid standard procedures that could not be adapted to their individual situations and preferences. They felt that the therapists failed to listen to them, and they felt deprived of identity and reduced to an ED instead of a real person. This investigation is one of the first of its kind to provide clues as to how treatment could be moderated to better meet the needs of women who decline specialized ED treatment. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T05:11:03Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-9da6679a849c43e4b2fcfbaa7352a379 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2072-6643 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T05:11:03Z |
| publishDate | 2021-11-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nutrients |
| spelling | doaj.art-9da6679a849c43e4b2fcfbaa7352a3792023-11-23T00:49:37ZengMDPI AGNutrients2072-66432021-11-011311403310.3390/nu13114033Why Do Women with Eating Disorders Decline Treatment? A Qualitative Study of Barriers to Specialized Eating Disorder TreatmentSofie T. Andersen0Thea Linkhorst1Frederik A. Gildberg2Magnus Sjögren3Department of Studies and Analysis, National Association against Eating Disorders and Self-Harm, 2500 Valby, DenmarkForensic Mental Health Research Unit Middelfart, Department of Regional Health Research, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Southern Denmark, 5500 Middelfart, DenmarkForensic Mental Health Research Unit Middelfart, Department of Regional Health Research, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Southern Denmark, 5500 Middelfart, DenmarkPsychiatric Center Ballerup, 2750 Ballerup, DenmarkDespite the fact that eating disorders (EDs) are conditions that are potentially life-threatening, many people decline treatment. The aim of this study was to investigate why women decline specialized ED treatment, including their viewpoints on treatment services. Eighteen semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with women who had declined inpatient or outpatient specialized ED treatment. A thematic analysis revealed five main themes: (1) Disagreement on treatment needs, (2) rigid standard procedures, (3) failure to listen, (4) deprivation of identity, and (5) mistrust and fear. The women had declined ED treatment because they believed that treatment was only focused on nutritional rehabilitation and that it failed to address their self-identified needs. From their perspectives treatment was characterized by rigid standard procedures that could not be adapted to their individual situations and preferences. They felt that the therapists failed to listen to them, and they felt deprived of identity and reduced to an ED instead of a real person. This investigation is one of the first of its kind to provide clues as to how treatment could be moderated to better meet the needs of women who decline specialized ED treatment.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/13/11/4033eating disordersanorexia nervosabarrierstreatmentadultqualitative |
| spellingShingle | Sofie T. Andersen Thea Linkhorst Frederik A. Gildberg Magnus Sjögren Why Do Women with Eating Disorders Decline Treatment? A Qualitative Study of Barriers to Specialized Eating Disorder Treatment Nutrients eating disorders anorexia nervosa barriers treatment adult qualitative |
| title | Why Do Women with Eating Disorders Decline Treatment? A Qualitative Study of Barriers to Specialized Eating Disorder Treatment |
| title_full | Why Do Women with Eating Disorders Decline Treatment? A Qualitative Study of Barriers to Specialized Eating Disorder Treatment |
| title_fullStr | Why Do Women with Eating Disorders Decline Treatment? A Qualitative Study of Barriers to Specialized Eating Disorder Treatment |
| title_full_unstemmed | Why Do Women with Eating Disorders Decline Treatment? A Qualitative Study of Barriers to Specialized Eating Disorder Treatment |
| title_short | Why Do Women with Eating Disorders Decline Treatment? A Qualitative Study of Barriers to Specialized Eating Disorder Treatment |
| title_sort | why do women with eating disorders decline treatment a qualitative study of barriers to specialized eating disorder treatment |
| topic | eating disorders anorexia nervosa barriers treatment adult qualitative |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/13/11/4033 |
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