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Outcome and Prognosis of Anorexia Nervosa

A Retrospective Study of 41 Subjects

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

Jan H. Rosenvinge  and
Sven O. Mouland
Jan H. Rosenvinge*
Affiliation:
Notodden General Hospital
Sven O. Mouland
Affiliation:
Ostfold Psychiatric Hospital, Veum, Norway
*
∗Psykiatrisk Poliklinikk, Notodden Sykehus, N-3670 Notodden, Norway
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Abstract

An investigation was carried out in 1986 of 41 patients, 39 female and 2 male, who had been treated for anorexia nervosa in a psychiatric ward at a general hospital between 1958 and 1980. A follow-up analysis was carried out, in which 30 subjects participated. Using the scores on the 40-item version of the EAT as outcome criteria, validated by the Morgan–Hayward outcome scales, the outcome distribution and rate of mortality was in agreement with previous findings. Further data concerning weight, menstruation, and nutritional, social and psychiatric status were based on a semistructured interview as well as on the scores on the EAT, the GHQ, and the MMPI. Prognostic variables were analysed, indicating that duration of illness, poor motivation for treatment, social withdrawal, and poor family relations were significant as predictors of poor outcome.

Type
Research Article
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 156 , Issue 1 , January 1990 , pp. 92 - 97
Copyright
Copyright © The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

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Footnotes

∗

A preliminary version of this paper was presented at the International Symposium on Eating Disorders, Jerusalem, May 1987.

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