Number and characteristics of patients seeking treatment for eating disorders at a CBT-E clinical service before and during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

This retrospective study aimed to assess the number, demographic and clinical characteristics of patients seeking treatment for eating disorders at a clinical service specialized in delivering enhanced cognitive behavior (CBT-E) before (01/01/2018 - 08/03/2020) and during (09/03/2020 - 31/12/2021) the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. A larger number of adults than adolescents sought treatment both before (121 [66%] vs. 62 [44%]) and during the COVID-19 pandemic (108 [53%] vs. 95 [47%]) (chi-squared=6.66, p=0.010). However, the percentage of adolescents seeking treatment was higher in the pandemic than in pre-pandemic years (60.5% vs. 39.5%). On the contrary, the rate of adults with an age of ≥25 years was lower during the COVID-19 pandemic (chi-square=8.71, p=0.033). No significant difference was found in demographics, clinical characteristics, and DSM-5 diagnoses between patients seeking treatment before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. In conclusion, the results show a significant increase in adolescent patients seeking outpatient CBT-E during the COVID-19 pandemic.