Treatment Utilization, Help-Seeking, and Illness Experiences Among Mandarin-Speaking Asian Americans With Eating...

Despite comparable or higher eating disorders (EDs) rates, Asian Americans are less likely to seek treatment than non-Hispanic White individuals. This study examined treatment utilization, help-seeking behaviors, and self-reported factors related to illness development, impact, and recovery among Mandarin-speaking Asian Americans with current or past EDs and explored sex differences.

A cross-sectional study was conducted among 196 Mandarin-speaking Asian Americans with current or past EDs. Participants completed self-report measures assessing ED diagnoses determined by algorithm, treatment utilization, help-seeking behaviors, perceived contributors to ED development, illness impact, and recovery factors. Descriptive statistics were calculated, and sex differences were examined using Mann-Whitney U tests and Fisher's exact tests.

Most participants (76.5%) reported never receiving treatment for their ED. Among those who had received treatment, many (60.5%) delayed seeking help for 6 months or longer. Psychiatrists were the most common initial diagnosing providers, and outpatient care was the most common treatment setting. Treatment utilization did not differ significantly by sex. Female participants reported greater contributions of weight- or appearance-related bullying/teasing to ED development, greater impacts on social and parental relationships, and greater importance of educational or occupational changes in recovery compared with male participants.

Findings highlight substantial gaps in ED treatment utilization and help-seeking among Mandarin-speaking Asian Americans. Although treatment utilization was similar across sexes, differences in illness contributors, impacts, and recovery priorities suggest sex-specific ED experiences. Culturally and linguistically appropriate outreach, screening, and treatment approaches are needed to better support recovery among Asian Americans with EDs.