Preliminary data on help‐seeking intentions and behaviors of individuals completing a widely available online screen for eating disorders in the United States
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In: The International journal of eating disorders, Vol. 53, No. 9, 01.09.2020, p. 1556-1562.
Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
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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
N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2020 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85090104950&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - https://www.mendeley.com/catalogue/633b3483-f16b-36ad-8e73-1d2deea7a471/
U2 - 10.1002/eat.23327
DO - 10.1002/eat.23327
M3 - Journal articles
C2 - 32542896
VL - 53
SP - 1556
EP - 1562
JO - The International journal of eating disorders
JF - The International journal of eating disorders
SN - 0276-3478
IS - 9
ER -