Socio-demographic characteristics of eating disorder patients in an outpatient clinic: a descriptive epidemiological study.
OBJECTIVE
The present study focused on the differential help-seeking characteristics of eating disorder (ED) patients.


METHODS
Written reports of 698 ED-related patients who were referred to the largest outpatient ED clinic in Israel during the period 1991-2002 were retrieved from the patient files.


RESULTS
The typical profile was as follows: female, Israeli-born, secular, Jewish, urban, Ashkenazi (Western origin) ethnic background and high-level of parental education. Noteworthy, were the high percentage of kibbutz patients and the low percentages of patients from both the Arab and Jewish religious sectors.


CONCLUSIONS
The results are discussed in light of the socio-cultural impact on professional help-seeking among individuals suffering from ED.
Latzer
Yael
Y
Eating Disorders Clinic, Psychiatric Division, Rambam Medical Center, Haifa, Israel. latzer@zahav.net.il
Vander
Shlomit
S
Gilat
Itzhak
I
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities; D018912:Arabs; D003469:Culture; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007557:Israel / Q000453:epidemiology; D007585:Jews; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000208:ethnology; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors