Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-mkpzs Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-22T16:48:29.275Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

The Prevalence of Eating Disorders in Recently Admitted Psychiatric In-patients

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

Phillipa J. Hay*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychological Medicine, Wellington School of Medicine
Anne Hall
Affiliation:
Department of Psychological Medicine, Wellington School of Medicine, University of Otago, New Zealand
*
Dr Phillipa Hay, Neuropsychiatric Unit, Prince Henry Hospital, PO Box 233, Matraville, 2036, NSW, Australia

Abstract

Of 107 recently admitted psychiatric patients screened for eating-disorder symptoms by questionnaire, 17% met DSM–III–R criteria for eating disorders. Eight patients (one male) had bulimia nervosa. Ten patients had eating disorder not otherwise specified: seven (three male) bulimic type, and three (one male) anorexia nervosa type. The most common concurrent diagnoses were mood and personality disorders. As eating-disorder symptoms are relevant to the diagnosis and management of other psychiatric disorders they should be assessed routinely in all psychiatric patients.

Type
Brief Reports
Copyright
Copyright © 1991 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

American Psychiatric Association (1987) Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (3rd edn, revised) (DSM—III—R). Washington, DC: APA.Google Scholar
Bushnell, J. A., Wells, J. E., Hornblow, A. R., et al (1990) Prevalence of three bulimia syndromes in the general population. Psychological Medicine, 20, 671680.Google Scholar
Esman, A. H., Dechillo, N. & Moughan, V. (1986) Hidden eating disorders in female patients. American Journal of Psychiatry, 143, 803.Google Scholar
Hall, A., Delahunt, J. W. & Ellis, P. M. (1985) Anorexia nervosa in the male: clinical features and follow-up of nine patients. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 19, 315321.Google Scholar
Hall, A., Leibrich, J., Walkey, F. H., et al (1986) Investigation of ‘weight pathology’ of 58 mothers of anorexia nervosa patients and 204 mothers of schoolgirls. Psychological Medicine, 16, 7176.Google Scholar
Hay, P. J., Hall, A., Delahunt, J., et al (1989) Investigation of osteopaenia in anorexia nervosa. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 23, 261268.Google Scholar
Hudson, J. I., Pope, H. G., Yurgelun-Todd, D., et al (1987) A controlled study of lifetime prevalence of affective and other psychiatric disorders in bulimic outpatients. American Journal of Psychiatry, 144, 12831287.Google ScholarPubMed
Kutcher, S. P., Whitehouse, A. W. & Freeman, C. P. L. (1985) “Hidden” eating disorders in Scottish psychiatric inpatients. American Journal of Psychiatry, 142, 14751478.Google ScholarPubMed
Lacey, J. H. & Evans, C. D. H. (1986) The Impulsivist: a multi-impulsive personality disorder. British Journal of Addiction, 81, 641649.Google Scholar
Pope, H. G., Hudson, J. L. & Yurgelun-Todd, D. (1984) Anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa among 300 suburban shoppers. American Journal of Psychiatry, 141, 292294.Google Scholar
Swift, W. J. & Wonderlich, S. A. (1988) Personality factors and diagnosis in eating disorders: Traits, disorders and structures. In Diagnostic Issues in Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa (eds Garner, D. M. & Garfinkel, P. E.), pp. 112165. New York: Brunner/Mazel Publishers.Google Scholar
Whitehouse, A. M., Adams, R. & Marche, J. (1989) Are there hidden eating disorders among psychiatric inpatients? International Journal of Eating Disorders, 8, 235238.3.0.CO;2-8>CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wing, J. & Robins, L. (1980) Composite International Diagnostic Interview. Geneva: World Health Organization.Google Scholar
Submit a response

eLetters

No eLetters have been published for this article.