Hiding in plain sight: eating disorders in diverse populations - a case for comprehensive medical education
2024

Understanding Eating Disorders in Diverse Populations

Sample size: 92 publication 10 minutes Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): Tashalee Brown, Madeline O. Jansen, Drew Hirsch, Habiba Amir, Alexis E. Duncan, Ginger E. Nicol

Primary Institution: University of California Los Angeles

Hypothesis

What is the knowledge and attitude of resident physicians regarding eating disorders in diverse populations?

Conclusion

Resident physicians show significant gaps in knowledge and confidence about diagnosing and treating eating disorders, especially in diverse populations.

Supporting Evidence

  • 45% of resident physicians felt confident in their knowledge of medical complications related to eating disorders.
  • 73.9% reported a lack of knowledge regarding eating disorders in sexual and gender minoritized patients.
  • Only 20.7% of respondents reported receiving training on eating disorders in their residency program.

Takeaway

Doctors in training don't know much about eating disorders, especially for people from different backgrounds, and they want to learn more.

Methodology

An online survey was conducted with 92 resident physicians across various specialties to assess their knowledge and attitudes towards eating disorders.

Potential Biases

Potential biases in perceptions of eating disorders may lead to disparities in care for diverse populations.

Limitations

The study had a limited sample size from a single institution and a low response rate, which may affect the generalizability of the findings.

Participant Demographics

{"age":{"median":29,"range":"25-46"},"race":{"White":59,"Asian":24,"other":null},"gender":{"cisgender_female":49,"cisgender_male":41,"non_binary":null},"sexual_identity":{"heterosexual":82,"other":null}}

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1186/s40337-024-01174-x

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