Barriers to seeking treatment for eating disorders: The role of self‐recognition in understanding gender disparities in who seeks help

Objective Previous research suggests that men with eating disorders are less likely to seek treatment than are women. Given stereotypes linked to eating disorders, men may be less likely to recognize when they have an eating disorder, which could act as a barrier to treatment‐seeking. Method The cur...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The International journal of eating disorders 2018-11, Vol.51 (11), p.1285-1289
Main Authors: Grillot, Charlotte L., Keel, Pamela K.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Eating disorders
Feeding and Eating Disorders - psychology
Feeding and Eating Disorders - therapy
Female
gender
Gender Identity
Healthcare Disparities - standards
Humans
Male
Self Report
self‐recognition
treatment‐seeking
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Summary:Objective Previous research suggests that men with eating disorders are less likely to seek treatment than are women. Given stereotypes linked to eating disorders, men may be less likely to recognize when they have an eating disorder, which could act as a barrier to treatment‐seeking. Method The current study examined differences in self‐recognition and treatment‐seeking behavior by gender, controlling for other covariates, in participants with probable DSM‐5 eating disorders drawn from a larger community‐based sample. Results Being female and self‐recognition were both associated with increased likelihood of treatment‐seeking while accounting for other potential covariates, including race/ethnicity, age, BMI, and comorbid disorders. Discussion Results indicate that self‐recognition is a barrier to seeking treatment for both genders and does not account for help‐seeking differences between women and men. Findings have implications for interventions to address barriers to treatment‐seeking for eating disorders.
ISSN:0276-3478
1098-108X
DOI:10.1002/eat.22965