A Qualitative Study of Healthcare Professionals’ Experiences of the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Severity of Eating Disorders,and Eating Disorder Treatment and Service Provision in the Paediatric Population

Abstract

Background

Published research on the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic reveals increased eating disorders (EDs), exacerbated conditions, and the reduction in accessibility of already inadequate supports available.

Objective

To explore the perspectives of healthcare professionals on the impact of COVID-19 on EDs and ED treatment and service provision for the paediatric population.

Method

Semi-structured interviews were completed with participants, and data were analysed using code-book thematic analysis.

Participants

Participants included 13 healthcare professionals from Ireland with experience working with EDs ranging from 5-21 years (M = 11.46, SD = 2.94).

Results

Six themes and fourteen subthemes were established. The first three themes, ‘Increased severity and frequency of paediatric EDs', ‘Psychological impact and coping mechanisms’, and ‘Shifts in epidemiological trends’, identify the impact of the pandemic on the severity and frequency of EDs. The second three themes, ‘Challenges in accessing ED services’, ‘Adaptions and innovations in ED treatment’, and ‘Implication for service provision and healthcare systems’, identify how the pandemic affected treatment and service provision.

Implications

The results emphasise the need for increased funding for ED services, grants for further professional training, and medical practitioners’ education on psychiatric conditions. This study also discovered increased comorbid OCD and ASD presentations since the onset of the pandemic.

Plain Language Summary

Why was this study done? For children with eating disorders (EDs), the COVID-19 pandemic worsened matters. Research already in the field points to a rise in ED cases, worsening symptoms, and restricted access to the already scarce support services. This study attempts to understand how the pandemic has impacted the management of EDs in children. What did the researchers do? Thirteen Irish healthcare professionals, treating ED patients for at least 5 years, were interviewed by the researcher. They then analysed the data to find important themes. What did the researchers find? This study revealed six main themes: (1) Increased severity and frequency of EDs. (2) Psychological impact and coping mechanisms. (3) Shifts in Epidemiological Trends. (4) Challenges in Accessing ED Services. (5) Adaptations and Innovations in ED Treatment. (6) Implications for Service Provision and Healthcare Systems. Why do these findings matter? Improving treatment and support services requires an understanding of how COVID-19 impacted children’s EDs and ED treatment and services. According to the study, ED services should be funded more extensively, medical personnel should get better training, and people should be more aware of the connections between EDs and disorders like autism spectrum disorder and obsessive compulsive disorder. These adjustments may improve care for children dealing with these severe health problems.