Detection of anorexia nervosa in primary care

In the years preceding diagnosis, individuals with anorexia nervosa (AN) attend more primary care appointments than their peers. Primary care physicians (PCPs) may be uniquely situated to detect AN in early manifestations. In this study, a sample of physicians was recruited online. Videotaped vignettes of a primary care appointment were shown to these participants, who were asked to diagnose the patient and could make a referral. 61.2% of participants identified an eating disorder (ED) diagnosis. However, of those, only 40% intended to refer for therapy. These findings suggest that the rate of referral to mental health is problematically low among PCPs.