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Mortality in eating disorders: A descriptive study
Author(s) -
Herzog David B.,
Greenwood Dara N.,
Dorer David J.,
Flores Andrea T.,
Ekeblad Elizabeth R.,
Richards Ana,
Blais Mark A.,
Keller Martin B.
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
international journal of eating disorders
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.785
H-Index - 138
eISSN - 1098-108X
pISSN - 0276-3478
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1098-108x(200007)28:1<20::aid-eat3>3.0.co;2-x
Subject(s) - anorexia nervosa , eating disorders , bulimia nervosa , psychiatry , comorbidity , psychology , mortality rate , substance abuse , cohort , cause of death , cohort study , medicine , disease
Objective We report rates and causes of death for a cohort of 246 eating‐disordered women and provide descriptive information on their eating disorder and comorbid diagnoses. Method Data on mortality were collected as part of a longitudinal study of anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa, now in its 11th year. Other data sources included death certificates, autopsy reports, relative interviews, and a National Death Index search. Results Seven deaths have occurred during the study, all among anorexic subjects with a history of binging and purging and with comorbid Axis I disorders. The crude mortality rate was 5.1%. The standardized mortality ratios for death (9.6) and suicide (58.1) were significantly elevated ( p < .001). Conclusions Anorexia nervosa is associated with a substantial risk of death and suicide. Features correlated with fatal outcome are longer duration of illness, binging and purging, comorbid substance abuse, and comorbid affective disorders. © 2000 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Eat Disord 28: 20–26, 2000.