Project HEAL has partnered with the Eating Anxiety Treatment Laboratory & Clinic (EAT Lab) at The University of Louisville to assess the obstacles to treatment access that exist for people with an eating disorder.
Under the direction of Prof. Cheri Levinson, this study will measure the scope of these roadblocks that individuals with eating disorders may face.
The Barriers to Treatment Access Study for Individuals with Eating Disorders will collect data to understand the patterns and prevalence of a variety of hurdles to receiving treatment and analyze trends across different geographies, ages, genders, ethnicities, sexual orientations, body sizes, insurance plans, diagnostic profiles, and treatment histories. This research will use a large data sample of individuals who have either received treatment or who have tried to access treatment services.
This study has four primary goals:
- To quantify the systemic barriers that people in the U.S. face when seeking eating disorder treatment.
- To quantify the healthcare and financial barriers that people in the U.S. face when seeking eating disorder treatment.
- To identify patterns and trends in the systemic, healthcare, and financial barriers that people in the U.S. face when seeking eating disorder treatment, and determine which barriers are more or less commonly experienced by people of different geographies, ages, races, genders, sexual orientations, body sizes, insurance plans, diagnostic profiles, and treatment histories.
- To obtain data to support future efforts to reform the eating disorder treatment landscape, and to influence future policy and legal changes within all levels of the healthcare system to ensure equitable healthcare access for people with eating disorders in the U.S.
This study has received funding from the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA), the largest nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting individuals and families affected by eating disorders, as part of their Feeding Hope Fund.
If you would like to help Project HEAL and the EAT Lab to better understand barriers to treatment access for those with eating disorders, please click on this link to access the survey. All individuals living in the U.S. 18 years or older with a current or past eating disorder, who have encountered barriers to accessing the treatment they need, are invited to participate.
If you or someone else who you know is being affected by an eating disorder, you can get help at this link. EDRC provides support groups for both those recovering from an eating disorder as well as their friends and family. You can also find a comprehensive directory of specialized treatment providers in the Bay Area here.
