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Updated: May 17, 2026

A Computer-Based Platform for Aiding Clinicians in Eating Disorder Analysis and Diagnosis
Published on: May 10, 2022
Increased emergency department use by adolescents and young adults with eating disorders
Suzanne Dooley-Hash1, Sarah K Lipson, Maureen A Walton
1Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA. sldh@umich.edu
Objective:
This study describes patterns of emergency department (ED) utilization by patients who screen positive for eating disorders.
Method:
ED patients aged 14-20 years (n = 1,920) completed a computerized questionnaire. The analyses compared the rates of ED use between patients who screened positive for an eating disorder and those who did not and examined the reasons for ED use amongst patients with eating disorders.
Results:
ED patients who screened positive for eating disorders were significantly more likely to have previously visited the ED and, on average, utilized the ED at a rate 1.6 times higher than patients who screen negative for eating disorders. The most common chief complaints among patients who screen positive for eating disorders were abdominal pain and other gastrointestinal-related problems.
Discussion:
Patients with eating disorders utilize the ED more frequently than those without and commonly present for complaints seemingly unrelated to their eating disorder.
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