Lyons, Cara A.
(2021)
An evaluation of COVID-19 virtual treatment delivery for eating disorders: Assessing eating disorder symptoms among patients across levels of care.
Master Essay, University of Pittsburgh.
This is the latest version of this item.
Abstract
In response to the call-to-action we are facing as an eating disorder (ED) field to provide data on program outcomes and to comply with regulatory standards regarding incorporation of patient-reported data into clinical care processes, the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center’s Center for Eating Disorders has administered questionnaires to patients enrolled in treatment to monitor treatment progress. Given the negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on patients with EDs and the shift to virtual treatment delivery, data are needed on ED symptoms and changes during treatment among patients receiving ED services during the COVID-19 pandemic and virtual delivery of care. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate changes in symptoms among patients with EDs enrolled in a partial hospitalization program (PHP), intensive outpatient program (IOP), and weekly outpatient group. Following the transition from in-person to virtual delivery due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we administered a web-based version of the Eating Disorders Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q) to all enrolled patients to track ED symptomology, behaviors, and attitudes over the course of 28 days. We hypothesized that higher baseline EDE-Q scores would be associated with enrollment in a higher level of care, longer length of stay, and greater EDE-Q score reductions during virtual treatment delivery. Patients across levels of care who completed the EDE-Q at least twice were included in analyses (N=46, n=17 in PHP; n=22 in IOP; n=7 in weekly outpatient group). Baseline EDE-Q scores were not related to initial level of care, length of stay, or discharge disposition (82.6% of patients stepped down to outpatient care; ps>.05). Notably, patients reported a significant improvement in global EDE-Q scores (t(45)=1.98, p=0.05, d=0.59) and shape concern subscale scores (t(45)=2.01, p=0.05, d=0.60). Results indicate that patients experience significant improvements in ED symptoms during virtual treatment delivery. Additional work is needed to further understand the impact of ED treatment delivery on patients’ functioning and long-term symptom trajectories, including evaluation of treatment response in the context of virtual treatment delivery and the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Details
| Item Type: |
Other Thesis, Dissertation, or Long Paper
(Master Essay)
|
| Status: |
Unpublished |
| Creators/Authors: |
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| Contributors: |
| Contribution | Contributors Name | Email | Pitt Username | ORCID  |
|---|
| Committee Chair | Glynn, Nancy | epidnwg@pitt.edu | epidnwg | UNSPECIFIED | | Committee Member | DeGenna, Natacha | degennanm@upmc.edu | UNSPECIFIED | UNSPECIFIED | | Committee Member | Conlon, Rachel | kolkorp2@upmc.edu | UNSPECIFIED | UNSPECIFIED |
|
| Date: |
14 May 2021 |
| Date Type: |
Completion |
| Submission Date: |
28 April 2021 |
| Access Restriction: |
2 year -- Restrict access to University of Pittsburgh for a period of 2 years. |
| Number of Pages: |
46 |
| Institution: |
University of Pittsburgh |
| Schools and Programs: |
School of Public Health > Epidemiology |
| Degree: |
MPH - Master of Public Health |
| Thesis Type: |
Master Essay |
| Refereed: |
Yes |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: |
"eating disorders" "COVID-19" "epidemiology" |
| Date Deposited: |
14 May 2021 19:22 |
| Last Modified: |
14 May 2023 05:15 |
| URI: |
http://d-scholarship.pitt.edu/id/eprint/40913 |
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An evaluation of COVID-19 virtual treatment delivery for eating disorders: Assessing eating disorder symptoms among patients across levels of care. (deposited 14 May 2021 19:22)
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