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Anorexia nervosa in 'non-white' populations
G M Soomro1, A H Crisp, D Lynch
1Division of Psychological Medicine, St George's Hospital Medical School, London.
The British Journal of Psychiatry : the Journal of Mental Science
|September 1, 1995
Summary
Non-white and white patients with anorexia nervosa (AN) show similar clinical and social characteristics. Access to care appears equitable, with no recent changes in presentation rates for non-white individuals.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Clinical Psychology
- Medical Research
Background:
- Investigated clinical and social characteristics of non-white and white anorexia nervosa patients.
- Utilized a 34-year database from a national tertiary referral center.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare clinical and social profiles of non-white and white individuals diagnosed with anorexia nervosa.
- To assess trends in the presentation and assessment of non-white anorexia nervosa patients over time.
Main Methods:
- Compared 36 non-white patients (anorexia nervosa and partial syndrome) with 944 white patients (full syndrome AN).
- Analyzed data from 1960-1993, focusing on clinical presentation, social class, and family dynamics.
Main Results:
- Found general clinical similarity between non-white and white groups, including social class and family relationships.
- Non-white patients were shorter, had earlier menarche, presented younger, were less emaciated, and more commonly vegan.
- Non-white patients less frequently acknowledged 'fatness' sensitivity, which emerged during weight gain treatment.
Conclusions:
- Clinical and background profiles of non-white and white anorectic patients are largely similar.
- The incidence and presentation rates of non-white anorexia nervosa cases have remained stable.
- Non-white patients demonstrated comparable access to assessment and treatment.