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Trends in anorexia nervosa in Ireland: A register study
Author(s) -
Shinkwin Rosemary,
Standen P. J.
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
european eating disorders review
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.511
H-Index - 67
eISSN - 1099-0968
pISSN - 1072-4133
DOI - 10.1002/erv.384
Subject(s) - anorexia nervosa , eating disorders , incidence (geometry) , psychiatry , epidemiology , medicine , anorexia , population , pediatrics , psychology , environmental health , physics , optics
The assumption that anorexia nervosa has increased in incidence over this century in western societies, mainly in the young female population, has been questioned by recent studies. This paper examines trends in anorexia nervosa in Ireland between 1977 and 1985 using national registers of psychiatric and general hospital admissions. The findings broadly concur with international studies vis‐à‐vis the magnitude of the average annual registered incidence rate and profile of patients with anorexia nervosa. A significant decrease in registered incidence rate of hospitalized cases of anorexia nervosa was found over the time period. The majority of admissions appeared to be under non‐psychiatrists. This study highlights the limitations of nationwide registers in epidemiological research. There is a need for purpose designed registers at the primary care level for prospective studies of the epidemiology of eating disorders (and other psychiatric disorders), especially since the advent of community psychiatric care and multicentre collaborative studies for comparison within and between countries. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association.