What treatments patients seek after inpatient care: a follow-up of 24 patients with anorexia nervosa.
BACKGROUND
To determine the kind of treatment patients with anorexia nervosa (AN) seek for their eating disorder following hospitalization.


METHODS
Twenty-four women previously treated in the Toronto General Hospital were interviewed to determine the nature and amount of treatment received following discharge.


RESULTS
Mean age: 31 years (SD=9.18). Mean body mass index (BMI) at assessment: 19.97 (SD=4.00). All had seen at least one or more professionals, mainly family doctors and psychiatrists, within the first 6 months. Mean hours of treatment: 85. Eighty-eight per cent had taken psychotropic medication (most commonly antidepressants). Symptomatic and asymptomatic patients did not differ in amount of treatment received.


CONCLUSIONS
Regardless of their symptom state, AN patients continue to use the health system heavily following weight restoration. Their aftercare is thus essential for ongoing maintenance treatment and to prevent relapse, and training primary-care physicians to provide it may be one way to contain health care costs.
Grigoriadis
S
S
Department of Psychiatry, Toronto General Hospital, Ontario, Canada.
Kaplan
A
A
Carter
J
J
Woodside
B
B
D000328:Adult; D000856:Anorexia Nervosa / Q000628:therapy*; D001526:Behavioral Symptoms / Q000523:psychology*; D003153:Community Health Services; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients; D009313:National Health Programs; D009864:Ontario; D010865:Pilot Projects; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome