Knowledge and Perception about Adolescent Onset Eating Disorders among Youth and Healthcare Professionals in India
Background: Eating disorders (EDs) are severe psychiatric diseases with high mortality and morbidity. This study aims to access awareness about ED among Indian youth and healthcare professionals (HCPs) and develop an assessment tool for the Indian population. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Current Medical Issues |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/cmi.cmi_23_25 |
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| Summary: | Background:
Eating disorders (EDs) are severe psychiatric diseases with high mortality and morbidity. This study aims to access awareness about ED among Indian youth and healthcare professionals (HCPs) and develop an assessment tool for the Indian population.
Methodology:
A cross-sectional study was conducted in a tertiary care center in South India using an online questionnaire among HCPs and youth through snowball sampling. The 5-point Likert scale questionnaire assessed knowledge about ED which was validated and reliable (Cronbach’s coefficient alpha - 0.79). Three hundred thirty HCPs and 211 youth were analyzed.
Results:
Awareness was inadequate among 41.2% of youth and 48.7% of HCPs. Only two domains that accessed treatment and outcomes, prevalence and distribution of ED had desired responses among both groups. HCP demonstrated better awareness in certain items, such as disease prevalence (P = 0.04), preoccupation with appearance (P = 0.00), influence of the film/fashion industry (P = 0.00), coexisting mental illnesses (P = 0.01), medical complications (P = 0.00), multidisciplinary treatment (P = 0.00), home management (P = 0.01), and curability (P = 0.05). Youth had a better awareness of ED distribution across diverse religions and genders (P = 0.00).
Conclusion:
There is a significant awareness gap regarding ED among HCPs and youth in India, compared with study populations across the globe. Bridging this gap is crucial for early identification, healthcare-seeking behavior improvement, and multidisciplinary management. |
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| ISSN: | 0973-4651 2666-4054 |