Should I ask about eating? Patients' disclosure of eating disorder symptoms and help-seeking behaviour

To retrospectively explore the first disclosure of eating problems and the impact of disclosure factors on subsequent help-seeking amongst women with eating disorders.

Seventy-one eating disorder service users were interviewed using the newly developed Eating Disorder Disclosure Interview and the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire.

Faster access to specialist services was associated with being older at first disclosure and with disclosures that involved either a general practitioner, an individual's partner or mother. Patients' appraisals of 'other-initiated' and 'volunteered' disclosures did not differ, although 'other-initiated' disclosures were younger and accessed help more quickly than those who 'volunteered'. The more positively 'other-initiated' disclosures were appraised, the quicker the subsequent help-seeking.

The findings indicate that initiating a disclosure might lead to earlier access to treatment for individuals with eating disorders.