O-60 Eating Disorders Among Adolescents and Young adults in Kingston, Jamaica
Author(s):
A Harrison, K Ferguson-Henry, C James, G Lowe
Year of Presentation:
2023
Objective: This study aimed to characterize the clinical presentation, management and outcome of eating disorders (EDs) in adolescents and young adults, AYA (10-29 years old) in Kingston, Jamaica.
Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study design was utilised. Patient charts for AYAs who received treatment in the Kingston metropolitan, Jamaica for an ED between January 2010 to December 2022 were reviewed. Data extracted were deidentified and stored electronically with restricted access. Ethical approval was obtained from the Mona Campus Research Ethics Committee. Descriptive and inferential analyses were performed to determine the association between variables. Statistical significance was determined at the 5% level.
Results: Sixty-six patient charts were reviewed (F: n=58, 87.9%; M: n=8, 12.1%). Anorexia nervosa (n=30, 45.4%) was the most common ED subtype, followed by bulimia nervosa (n=18, 27.3%). The mean (SD) age in years at diagnosis did not differ significantly by subtype ED (AN: 15.0 (4.5); BN :17.3 (2.1); BED: 18.8 (4.4), p>0.05). Fiftyeight (87.9%) participants received psychotherapy with an ED psychologist; 14.5% (n=9) had non-ED specific therapy and 8.5% (n=6) had no formal psychotherapy. Seventeen (27.4%) participants were followed by a dietician. Eleven patients required hospital admission (n=11,16.7%), majority diagnosed with anorexia nervosa (n=10, 91%; p= 0.032), with the most common reason for admission being failure of outpatient management (n=7).
Conclusion: The prevalence of eating disorders among Jamaican AYAs appears to have increased, with younger adolescents being diagnosed, and increased number of hospital admissions for management.