Citation

Surgenor LJ, Maguire S. J. Eat. Disord. 2013; 1(1).

Copyright

(Copyright © 2013, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group -BMC)

DOI

10.1186/2050-2974-1-29

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

AIM: Anorexia Nervosa (AN) is a complex and clinically challenging syndrome. Intended for specialist audiences, this narrative review aims to summarise the available literature related to assessment in the adult patient context, synthesising both research evidence and clinical consensus guidelines.

METHOD: We provide a review of the available literature on specialist assessment of AN focusing on common trajectories into assessment, obstacles accessing assessment, common presenting issues and barriers to the assessment process, the necessary scope of assessment, and tools and techniques. It describes the further step of synthesising assessment information in ways that can inform resultant care plans.

RESULTS: In addition to assessment of core behaviours and diagnostic skills, considerations for the expert assessor include the functions of primary care, systemic and personal barriers, knowledge of current assessment tools and research pertaining to comorbid pathology in AN, assessing severity of illness, role of family at assessment, as well as medical, nutritional and compulsory elements of assessment.

CONCLUSION: Comprehensive assessment of AN in the current healthcare context still remains largely the remit of the specialist ED clinician. Assessment should remain an on-going process, paying particular attention to available empirical evidence, thereby reducing the gap between research and practice. © 2013 Surgenor and Maguire; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

Language: en

Keywords

human; gender; suicide; anxiety; Assessment; anorexia nervosa; disease severity; Eating disorders; mood disorder; ethnicity; Anorexia nervosa; morbidity; review; primary medical care; questionnaire; psychologic assessment; priority journal; health care availability; drug dependence; patient compliance; drug misuse; medical assessment; nutritional assessment; family assessment; symptom assessment