COVID-19 and its attendant restrictions have had a unique impact on individuals suffering from mental illness. InsideOut Institute conducted a national survey evaluating the impact of COVID-19 on Australians with eating disorders and body image concerns, including behaviour and mental health symptom change, impact of social isolation and other circumstances associated with the pandemic, and access to treatment/changes in treatment modality.
A total of 1723 participants over the age of 16 years took part in the survey (mode age 24.9 years, 91.6% identifying as female). A large proportion of participants reported an increase in body image concerns, food restriction, binge eating and driven exercise during the pandemic as well as co-occurring mental health condition. Increased eating disorder symptomatology was associated with poorer state mental health (i.e., depression, anxiety, and stress) and loneliness across the eating disorder symptom profile.
Associated with the COVID-19 pandemic is a mental health crisis, particularly for those with a lived experience of an eating disorder. The study found about 40% of participants did not seek a formal diagnostic assessment and less than half in treatment, indicating the detrimental impact of the pandemic on people with a lived experience of an eating disorder, especially for those not yet supported by the health care system.
Publications:
Miskovic-Wheatley J, Koreshe E, Kim M, Simeone R, Maguire S. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and associated public health response on people with eating disorder symptomatology: an Australian study. J Eat Disord. 2022 Jan 17;10(1):9. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40337-021-00527-0
Presentations:
Miskovic-Wheatley J, Koreshe E, Kim M, Simeone R, Maquire S. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on people with lived experience of an eating disorder: An Australian perspective. 2021 Australian and New Zealand Academy of Eating Disorders Annual Conference, Online.
Miskovic-Wheatley J, Koreshe E, Kim M, Simeone R, Maquire S. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on people with eating disorders in Australia. 2021 International Conference on Eating Disorders, Academy of Eating Disorders, Online.
Miskovic-Wheatley J, Simeone E, Koreshe E, Kim M, Maguire S. Eating disorder treatment in the time of COVID: The experience of telehealth. 2022 London Eating Disorder Conference.