Telemedicine treatment adherence and perception compared with face-to-face treatment in eating disorder patients

Abstract

Objective: To determine the perception of and adherence to psychiatric, psychotherapeutic, and nutritional treatment via telemedicine compared with face to face care in patients with eating disorders. Methods: Descriptive quantitative study with nonprobability, convenience sampling of patients treated between May and October 2021. We conducted semi-structured interviews, based on subjects’ satisfaction with the telemedicine experience versus face-to-face treatment. Findings were described by grouping responses by significance analysis and systematically drawing conclusions. Results: Twenty female subjects aged between fourteen and fifty participated. Seventy-five per cent perceived telemedicine as an effective option and expressed a high degree of satisfaction, while 55% stated that they preferred face-to-face care. The advantages reported included less travel time and expense, and avoiding infection while disadvantages included the difficulty of ensuring technological access, and the lack of privacy and electronic prescriptions. Telemedicine also improved treatment attendance. Conclusions: Telemedicine in the interdisciplinary treatment of eating disorders is feasible, effective, and satisfactory, contributing to therapeutic adherence. However, most subjects regard it as being contingent on the situation, rather than a choice, and would prefer to return to face-to-face treatment.