Building an Equitable and Accessible System of Eating Disorder Care for VA, DoD, and Underrepresented Americans with Eating Disorders (EASED Study)
Abstract
Eating disorders are serious mental health conditions that negatively impact the lives of affected people and place these individuals at risk for early death or suicide. Recent evidence suggests that active-duty Service Members and Veterans are especially vulnerable to eating disorders likely due to stressors related to weight standards, trauma exposure, and challenging eating environments while in the military. Despite this, the active-duty Service Member and Veteran population has been understudied with respect to eating disorders due to the misperception that these conditions primarily affect adolescents/young women and individuals who are underweight. New research showing that eating disorders affect people regardless of gender, weight, age, and race/ethnicity has been rapidly emerging. The objective of the proposed study will be to address the Department of Defense’s (DoD’s) FY20 PRMRP Topic Area Eating Disorders by building an equitable and accessible system of eating disorder care for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), DoD, and underrepresented Americans with eating disorders. Using VA’s most advanced telehealth technologies, this project will connect mental health providers to Veteran patients and bring state-of-the-art treatments for Bulimia Nervosa (BN) and Binge Eating Disorder (BED) directly to patients’ homes. Male and female Veterans with BN or BED will be randomly assigned to receive one of two treatments: a virtual, clinician-led cognitive behavioral therapy or a self-help cognitive behavioral therapy. Treatments have potential to reduce and/or eliminate binge eating, and improve other eating/weight and mental health outcomes. The findings from this study and the field will be systematically evaluated by experts to form consensus recommendations for the best way to treat active-duty Service Members and Veterans with eating disorders. We aim to create a standardized model of care in which patients with these conditions get the care they need in a way they can access. This project could transform the way eating disorders are treated within DoD and VA and help thousands of active Service Members and Veterans across the United States, as well other Americans struggling with eating disorders
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Dec 05, 2021
- Source ID
- W81XWH2110794
Entities
People
- Robin Masheb
Organizations
- United States Army
- VA Connecticut Research and Education Foundation