Staying Up to Date on Eating Disorder Assessment and Treatment in Integrated Primary Care: Literature Review, Recommendations, and Case Study

Eating disorders (ED) can have a devastating impact on an individual’s physical and mental health as well as on the larger healthcare system. EDs are associated with increased healthcare utilization, long-term health complications, and mortality. Detecting EDs early is vital, and research suggests that most individuals with EDs or subclinical ED symptoms present to primary care first. Behavioral health consultants (BHCs) within integrated primary care are uniquely qualified to assist primary care physicians (PCPs) and support staff in assessing and treating EDs in primary care and can be an integral part in the prevention of EDs more broadly. The purpose of this presentation is to synthesize the most up to date literature on preventing, assessing, and treating EDs in primary care, while also providing practical recommendations for translating research into clinical practice. First, a comprehensive literature review on preventing, assessing, and treating EDs will be presented. Time will be dedicated to discussing the intersection of EDs and social determinants of health (SDoH) with specific focus on challenging assumptions of ‘typical’ ED presentations. Next, recommendations for brief assessment and intervention of EDs in primary care will be provided (handouts will be used to summarize recommendations). These recommendations will also address how to assess for EDs while considering SDoH. Lastly, a deidentified case study will be presented on how these recommendations can be implemented within a Family Medicine Residency Clinic located within an underserved community. This case study will be based on a 40-year-old, African American patient who presented to primary care with angina, asthma, and insulin-dependent diabetes and was later diagnosed with binge eating disorder (BED). The BHC, PCP, and patient’s perspective on the integrated care treatment approach to managing BED will be provided.