title: Should I ask about eating? Patients' disclosure of eating disorder symptoms and help-seeking behaviour.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To retrospectively explore the first disclosure of eating problems and the impact of disclosure factors on subsequent help-seeking amongst women with eating disorders.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy-one eating disorder service users were interviewed using the newly developed Eating Disorder Disclosure Interview and the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Faster access to specialist services was associated with being older at first disclosure and with disclosures that involved either a general practitioner, an individual's partner or mother. Patients' appraisals of 'other-initiated' and 'volunteered' disclosures did not differ, although 'other-initiated' disclosures were younger and accessed help more quickly than those who 'volunteered'. The more positively 'other-initiated' disclosures were appraised, the quicker the subsequent help-seeking.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings indicate that initiating a disclosure might lead to earlier access to treatment for individuals with eating disorders.
authors.affiliation: South London and The Maudsley NHS Trust, UK.
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gilbert
authors.forename: Jon
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Arcelus
authors.forename: Rebecca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cashmore
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Langham
authors.forename: Caroline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Meyer
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D030881:Disclosure; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000523:psychology*; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult