Engaging primary care providers in managing pediatric eating disorders: a mixed methods study

Area of Science:

• Pediatric healthcare
• Eating disorder management
• Primary care interventions

Background:

• Primary care settings are ideal for early identification and treatment of pediatric eating disorders.
• Implementation of evidence-based treatment is hindered by setting-specific constraints.
• Stakeholder perspectives are crucial for successful intervention design.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore primary care providers' views on challenges in identifying and managing pediatric eating disorders.
• To understand the barriers faced by providers in delivering eating disorder care within primary care.

Main Methods:

• Mixed methods approach combining surveys and interviews.
• Survey of 60 Pediatric and Family Medicine providers across 6 practices.
• Qualitative semi-structured interviews with 16 participating providers.

Main Results:

• Providers recognize primary care's role in early identification and treatment of pediatric eating disorders.
• A significant need for improved eating disorder care was identified by providers.
• Key barriers include lack of time, insufficient knowledge, and limited resources.

Conclusions:

• Addressing identified barriers is essential for enhancing primary care capacity in managing pediatric eating disorders.
• Future initiatives must focus on overcoming resource, knowledge, and time constraints.