Access to Care for Older Individuals with Eating Disorders Symptoms

Presenters/Authors(s)

Ayah Aldebyan

Abstract or Description

The majority of the literature on eating disorders has focused mainly on adolescents and young adults, despite the increasing prevalence of eating disorders among aging adults (Thompson & Bardone‐Cone, 2019). Healthcare professionals often overlook older adults with eating disorders because the symptoms are similar to common signs of aging (Mangweth‐Matzek & Hoek, 2017; Shirley et al., 2022). We wanted to examine if older adults (ages 65 and older) with eating disorder symptoms felt they had access to care. Based on the literature, it is predicted that older adults will not perceive they have access to support. Participants were recruited from a clinical population, The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, and through the WVU Research Participation System (SONA). Participants completed a questionnaire that included the following measures: Barriers to Access to Care Evaluation (BACE) and Eating Disorder Diagnostic Scale (EDDS). This study conducted a correlation analysis to investigate the connections between BACE and EDDS. The results of the current study are pending due to data currently being collected. Improving eating disorder research among older adults is important for developing personalized treatments and increasing the quality of life. Advancing knowledge on disordered eating behaviors among older adults can allow for early detection and treatment.