Improving binge eating disorder screening in primary care settings

Binge eating disorder (BED) is a condition associated with significant emotional distress. It is characterized by episodes of eating unusually large amounts of food where the individual experiences a loss of control. These episodes are accompanied by negative emotions such as shame or guilt. BED is frequently associated with obesity, which is a stigmatized state in society. As a newer official diagnosis in the DSM-V, BED is rarely screened for in routine healthcare practice. As the most prevalent eating disorder in the United States and the only one affecting similar proportions of men and women, the lack of screening presents a large gap in healthcare services. Currently, screening for eating disorders, in general, is not standardized and education of healthcare professionals on eating disorders is minimal. This educational intervention study aims to evaluate the effect of providing education on BED to primary care clinicians along with recommendations for using a standardized screening tool in their practice. Investigators provide an hour-long educational intervention and will track provider practices over three months. At the conclusion of the study, we will compare the proportion of patients screened for BED before and after the intervention. We hypothesize that after the intervention, more providers will be screening for BED. At a minimum, positive findings become a starting point for further research to identify the educational needs for primary care clinicians on eating disorder diagnoses.

Author dc:creator

• Fang, Christine

Advisors dc:contributor.advisor

• Quatromoni, Paula
• Weinstein, John

• Health education

Language dc:language.iso

en_US

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/2144/43841

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:open.bu.edu:2144/43841