TY - JOUR

T1 - Preliminary data on help‐seeking intentions and behaviors of individuals completing a widely available online screen for eating disorders in the United States

AU - Fitzsimmons-Craft, Ellen E.

AU - Balantekin, Katherine N

AU - Graham, Andrea K.

AU - DePietro, Bianca

AU - Laing , Olivia

AU - Firebaugh, Marie-Laure

AU - Smolar, Lauren

AU - Park, Dan

AU - Mysko, Claire

AU - Funk, Burkhardt

AU - Taylor, C. Barr

AU - Wilfley, Denise E

PY - 2020/9/1

Y1 - 2020/9/1

N2 - ObjectiveScaling an online screen that provides referrals may be key in closing the treatment gap for eating disorders (EDs), but we need to understand respondents' help‐seeking intentions and behaviors after receiving screen results. This study reported on these constructs among respondents to the National Eating Disorders Association online screen who screened positive or at high risk for an ED.MethodRespondents completed the screen over 18 months (February 9, 2018–August 28, 2019). Those screening positive or at high risk for an ED (n = 343,072) had the option to provide data on help‐seeking intentions (after screen completion) and behaviors (2‐month follow‐up).ResultsOf eligible respondents, 4.8% (n = 16,396) provided data on help‐seeking intentions, with only 33.7% of those reporting they would seek help. Only 7.6% of eligible respondents opted in to the 2‐month follow‐up, with 10.6% of those completing it (n = 2,765). Overall, 8.9% of respondents to the follow‐up reported being in treatment when they took the screen, 15.5% subsequently initiated treatment, and 75.5% did not initiate/were not already in treatment.DiscussionPreliminary results suggest that among the small minority who provided data, only one‐third expressed help‐seeking intentions and 16% initiated treatment. Online screening should consider ways to increase respondents' motivation for and follow‐through with care.

AB - ObjectiveScaling an online screen that provides referrals may be key in closing the treatment gap for eating disorders (EDs), but we need to understand respondents' help‐seeking intentions and behaviors after receiving screen results. This study reported on these constructs among respondents to the National Eating Disorders Association online screen who screened positive or at high risk for an ED.MethodRespondents completed the screen over 18 months (February 9, 2018–August 28, 2019). Those screening positive or at high risk for an ED (n = 343,072) had the option to provide data on help‐seeking intentions (after screen completion) and behaviors (2‐month follow‐up).ResultsOf eligible respondents, 4.8% (n = 16,396) provided data on help‐seeking intentions, with only 33.7% of those reporting they would seek help. Only 7.6% of eligible respondents opted in to the 2‐month follow‐up, with 10.6% of those completing it (n = 2,765). Overall, 8.9% of respondents to the follow‐up reported being in treatment when they took the screen, 15.5% subsequently initiated treatment, and 75.5% did not initiate/were not already in treatment.DiscussionPreliminary results suggest that among the small minority who provided data, only one‐third expressed help‐seeking intentions and 16% initiated treatment. Online screening should consider ways to increase respondents' motivation for and follow‐through with care.

KW - Business informatics

KW - eating disorders

KW - Health care utilization

KW - help-seeking

KW - referral

KW - screening

KW - Informatics

U2 - 10.1002/eat.23327

DO - 10.1002/eat.23327

M3 - Journal articles

C2 - 32542896

VL - 53

SP - 1556

EP - 1562

JO - International Journal of Eating Disorders

JF - International Journal of Eating Disorders

SN - 0276-3478

IS - 9

ER -