Perceptions of health professionals in providing care for people with anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa: a systematic review and meta-synthesis of qualitative studies

• Published in: Cadernos de saúde pública 2023-01, Vol.39 (7), p.e00223122-e00223122
• Main Authors: Maia, Bruna Bortolozzi, Campelo, Felipe Gonçalves, Rodrigues, Elaine Campos Guijarro, Oliveira-Cardoso, Érika Arantes, Santos, Manoel Antonio dos
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Feeding and Eating Disorders; Health Personnel; Mental Health Services; PUBLIC, ENVIRONMENTAL & OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH; Review
• ISSN: 0102-311X; 1678-4464; 1678-4464
• DOI: 10.1590/0102-311xen223122

This study sought to synthesize and reinterpret findings from primary qualitative studies on the experience of health professionals in caring for people with anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. We conducted a systematic review of the literature with the SPIDER search strategy assessing six databases. A meta-synthesis was performed with data from qualitative studies. Two independent reviewers screened and assessed the articles, extracted data from the articles and elaborated thematic synthesis. Nineteen articles met the inclusion/exclusion criteria. The meta-synthesis revealed three descriptive themes: Going outside the comfort zone: hard relational experiences of health professionals in providing care for people with anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa; Reflecting on treatment: relevance of discussion, communication, and flexibility in health professionals’ work with anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa; and Dealing with ambivalences: experiences of health professionals with family members of people with anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. We elaborated two analytical themes: Making work with eating disorders palatable: malleability necessary for health professionals in bonding with people with anorexia and bulimia nervosa and their families; and Leaving the professional comfort zone: transition from multi to interdisciplinary. Thus, mental health professionals who work with people diagnosed with anorexia and bulimia nervosa cope with hard emotional experiences that makes them feel out of their comfort zone, requiring flexibility to benefit a good therapeutic alliance, but there are still difficulties in promoting interdisciplinarity. Resumo: Este estudo buscou sintetizar e reinterpretar os achados de estudos qualitativos primários sobre a experiência de profissionais de saúde no cuidado a pessoas com anorexia e bulimia nervosa. Realizamos uma revisão sistemática da literatura com a estratégia de busca estruturada SPIDER em seis bases de dados. Foi realizada uma metassíntese com dados destes estudos qualitativos. Os artigos foram triados e avaliados por dois revisores independentes que extraíram dados desses artigos e elaboraram uma síntese temática. No total, 19 artigos atenderam nossos critérios de inclusão e exclusão. A metassíntese revelou três temas descritivos: Sair da zona de conforto: profissionais de saúde tiveram vivências relacionais difíceis no cuidado à pessoa com anorexia e bulimia nervosa; Refletir sobre o tratamento: a relevância da di