And then what happened? A 5-year follow-up of eating disorder patients

Abstract

Background: Eating disorders (EDs) show a varying course and outcome. Within 10 years, between half and three-quarters of patients recover from their disorder. There is, however, a lack of consensus in how to define recovery. Aims: The aim of the present naturalistic study was to assess clinical and full recovery in ED patients 5 years after initiated treatment at a specialized outpatient unit for EDs. Methods: Data was collected at three time points: after the investigation period (T1), at the end of treatment (T2) and 5 years after the beginning of treatment (T3). Data at T1 and T2 were collected from patient records, and at T3 using a questionnaire. The number of participants was 71 and response rate 78%. Results: At T3, the proportion in clinical recovery was 83.1%, with no significant differences between diagnostic groups. The proportion in full recovery, i.e. in addition to a subjective account of being fully recovered, presenting no physical, behavioural or psychological ED symptoms, was 40.8%. Conclusions: For most ED patients, outpatient treatment is sufficient to enable recovery. How to define and measure recovery still warrants discussion.

• Eating disorders
• Outpatient
• Outcome
• Recovery
• Remission

Acknowledgement

The authors wish to thank MD Frida Raunio and MSSc Hanna Hongell for assistance in data collection and Associate professor Claes Norring for help in designing the study. We also wish to thank all participants as well as previous and present staff at the clinic.

Declaration of interest: The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.

The study received financial support from the Department of Social Services and Health Care, City of Jakobstad, competitive research funding. The funding body had no further role in study design, in the collection, analysis and interpretation of data, in the writing of the report or in the decision to submit the paper for publication.