COVID-19 related familial economic disruptions and eating disorder patients’ mental health concerns and motivation to recover

Journal of Eating Disorders

Research

Monique Santoso¹  Tracy K. Richmond²  Sara F. Forman²  Elizabeth R. Woods²  Carly E. Milliren³ 

[1] Division of Adolescent/Young Adult Medicine, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, USA;Division of Adolescent/Young Adult Medicine, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, USA;Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA;Division of Adolescent/Young Adult Medicine, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, USA;Institutional Centers for Clinical and Translational Research, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, USA;

关键词: COVID-19;    Eating disorders;    Mental health;    Comorbidity;    Financial stress;    Adolescents;    Anorexia nervosa;    Atypical anorexia nervosa;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s40337-022-00709-4

 received in 2022-07-29, accepted in 2022-11-17,  发布年份 2022

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundFamily support has been shown to be important for adolescents and young adults (AYA) in eating disorder (ED) treatment. Many families were impacted by the pandemic, potentially altering their ability to support individuals in ED treatment. This study examined the association of COVID-19 related familial economic change with self-reported mental health (MH) and ED concerns in AYA seeking treatment for ED.MethodsAYA patients with EDs aged 10–27 years enrolled in the Registry of Eating Disorders and their Co-morbidities OVER time in Youth (RECOVERY) completed an additional COVID-19-specific survey (n = 89) that assessed their perception of the effects of the pandemic on their lives and their ED. Participants self-reported on familial economic disruptions, measured through a composite score of four markers: (1) family member’s work hours cut, (2) family member was required to stop working, (3) family member lost job permanently, and (4) family lost health insurance/benefits. In bivariate analyses, we examined the association between self-reporting any familial economic disruption and self-reported changes in intrusive ED thoughts, feelings of anxiety, feelings of depression, feelings of isolation, and motivation to recover from their ED. Logistic regression models were used to examine the association between familial economic disruptions on self-reported changes in ED/MH affect and motivation to recover adjusting for age and ED diagnosis.ResultsForty-six percent of participants self-reported that the pandemic had resulted in at least one economic familial disruption. Of patients reporting any familial economic disruption, 29% reported decreased motivation for ED recovery, and over 75% reported worsening feelings of depression, anxiety, isolation, and/or intrusive eating disorder thoughts. Reporting any COVID-19 familial economic disruption was marginally associated with feelings of isolation (p = 0.05). Though the findings were only marginally significant, the odds of reporting worsening feelings of depression, anxiety, intrusive ED thoughts or motivation to recover were nearly twice in those who reported a COVID-19-related familial economic disruption compared to those who did not report such a disruption.ConclusionsFamily-related economic disruptions are associated with ED/MH-related concerns and motivation to recover from an ED during the COVID-19 pandemic in AYA patients.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© The Author(s) 2022