Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-t7czq Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-22T08:22:00.077Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Management and Outcome in Anorexia Nervosa

A Standardized Prognostic Study

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 January 2018

H. G. Morgan ,
Joan Purgold  and
Jill Welbourne
H. G. Morgan
Affiliation:
University of Bristol, 39/41 St Michael's Hill, Bristol BS2 8DZ
Joan Purgold
Affiliation:
Department of Mental Health, University of Bristol
Jill Welbourne
Affiliation:
Department of Mental Health, University of Bristol
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

The outcome of 78 patients with anorexia nervosa treated in a special clinic is described, using a standardized follow-up technique. The findings are compared with two previous studies which utilized an identical evaluation procedure. Certain predictors of poor outcome already identified by previous studies (long duration of illness before referral, previous personality problems, difficulties in relationship between family and patient) are confirmed. The findings suggest that early intervention may be an important component of effective treatment. The possible advantages of long term continuity of outpatient care are also discussed and the need for careful scrutiny of criteria for hospital admission emphasized.

It is concluded that chronic morbidity due to anorexia nervosa represents an important topic for further research. There is need for further identification of factors associated with chronicity, some of which may be secondary repercussions of the illness itself, and prospective evaluation of treatment programmes which focus on predictors of poor outcome.

Type
Research Article
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 143 , Issue 3 , September 1983 , pp. 282 - 287
Copyright
Copyright © 1983 The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Beumont, P. J. V., George, P. C. W. & Smart, D. E. (1976) ‘Dieters’ and ‘vomiters’ and ‘purgers’ in anorexia nervosa. Psychological Medicine, 6, 617–22.Google ScholarPubMed
Beumont, P. J. V. (1977) Further categorisation of patients with anorexia nervosa. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 11, 223–6.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bruch, H. (1973) Eating Disorders. New York: Basic Books.Google Scholar
Cantwell, D. P., Sturzenberger, S. & Burroughs, J. (1977) Anorexia nervosa: an affective disorder? Archives of General Psychiatry, 34, 1087–93.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Casper, R. C., Eckert, E. D., Halmi, K. A., Goldberg, S. C. & Davies, J. M. (1980) Bulimia: its incidence and clinical importance in patients with anorexia nervosa. Archives of General Psychiatry, 37, 1030–5.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Dally, P. (1969) Anorexia Nervosa. London: Heinemann.Google Scholar
Garfinkel, P. E., Muldofsky, H. & Garner, D. M. (1977) Prognosis in anorexia nervosa as influenced by clinical features, treatment and self-perception. Canadian Medical Association Journal, 117, 1041–5.Google ScholarPubMed
Halmi, K., Brodland, G. & Loney, J. (1973) Prognosis in anorexia nervosa. Annals of Internal Medicine, 78, 907–9.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hsu, L. K. G. (1980) Outcome of anorexia nervosa: a review of the literature 1954–1978. Archives of General Psychiatry, 37, 1041–6.Google Scholar
Hsu, L. K. G., Crisp, A. H. & Harding, B. (1979) Outcome of anorexia nervosa. Lancet, i, 61–5.Google Scholar
King, A. (1963) Primary and secondary anorexia nervosa syndromes. British Journal of Psychiatry, 109, 470–9.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Morgan, H. G. (1973) Unpublished M. D. thesis, University of Cambridge.Google Scholar
Morgan, H. G. & Russell, G. F. M. (1975) Value of family background and clinical features as predictors of long term outcome in anorexia nervosa: Four year follow-up study of 41 patients. Psychological Medicine, 5, 355–71.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Russell, G. F. M. (1970) Anorexia nervosa: its identity as an illness and its treatment. In Modern Trends in Psychological Medicine. (ed. Price, J. H.). London: Butterworth.Google Scholar
Russell, G. F. M. (1979) Bulimia nervosa: an ominous variant of anorexia nervosa. Psychological Medicine, 9, 429–8.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Slade, P. (1982) Towards a functional analysis of anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. British Journal of Clinical Psychology, 21, 167–9.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Society of Actuaries (1959) Average weights of adults. In Scientific Tables, 7th Edition, p. 711. Macclesfield: Geigy Pharmaceuticals.Google Scholar
Theander, S. (1970) Anorexia nervosa: a psychiatric investigation of 94 female cases. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, Suppl: 214.Google Scholar
Thoma, A. H. (1967) Anorexia Nervosa. New York: International Universities Press.Google Scholar
Submit a response

eLetters

No eLetters have been published for this article.