Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-7cvxr Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-27T11:22:25.440Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The Challenge of Managing Severely Ill Patients with Anorexia Nervosa in Ireland

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 June 2014

Caroline Maher  and
Izu Nwachukwu
Caroline Maher*
Affiliation:
Eating Disorder Programme, Elm Mount Unit, St. Vincent's University Hospital, Elm Park, Dublin 4, Ireland
Izu Nwachukwu
Affiliation:
North Sector, Wexford Mental Health Services, Ireland
*
*Correspondence Email C.Maher@st-vincents.ie
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

Anorexia Nervosa (AN) has the highest rates of morbidity and mortality of any psychiatric disorder. Psychiatrists in Ireland have reported difficulties in managing patients with AN, particularly those with severe levels of illness. This paper explores these management difficulties, including the financial and organisational impediments to service provision, and the legal and ethical dilemmas involved in dealing with those patients who refuse treatment.

Keywords

Anorexia Nervosalegal and ethical difficultiescoercive feeding
Type
Editorial
Information
Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine , Volume 29 , Issue 2 , 2012 , pp. 69 - 71
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2012

References

1.Papadopoulos, FC, Ekbom, A, Brandt, L, Ekselius, L. Excess mortality, causes of death and prognostic factors in anorexia nervosa. Br J Psychiatry 2009; 194: 10–7.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
2.Crow, SJ, Peterson, CB, Swanson, SAet al.Increased Mortality in Bulimia Nervosa and Other Eating Disorders. Am J Psychiatry 2009; 166: 1342–1346.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
3.Shinkwin, R, Standen, PJ. Trends in anorexia nervosa in Ireland: A register study. European Eating Disorders Review 2001; 9: 263–76.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
4.Hoek, HW, van Hoeken, D. Review of the Prevalence and Incidence of Eating Disorders. International Journal of Eating Disorders 2003; 34: 383–396.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
5.Hoek, HW. Review of the epidemiological studies of eating disorders. International Review of Psychiatry 1993; 5: 61–74.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
6.Department of Health & Children. A Vision For Change. Report of the Expert Group on Mental Health Policy. The Stationary Office, Dublin, 2006. Annex 15.5.Google Scholar
7. Telephone conversation with Health Service Executive Lead Mental Health Officer. 10 2009.Google Scholar
8.Barry, S, Murphy, P. A Gloomy View: Rhetoric or reality in relation to the advancement of A Vision for Change. College of Psychiatry of Ireland, 2009.Google Scholar
9. Parliamentary Debates v639, 17 10, 2007. Adjournment Debate - Eating Disorders. http://historical-debates.oireachtas.ie/D/0639/D.0639.200710170029.html. [Cited 2009 July 30].Google Scholar
10.Freedom of Information response. P. O'Connor, Contracts and Utilisation, National Hospitals Office, Health Service Executive. 15th 06 2009.Google Scholar
11.Carney, T, Tait, D, Saunders, D, Touyz, S, Beumont, P. Institutional options in management of coercion in anorexia treatment: The antipodean experiment? International Journal of Law and Psychiatry 2003; 26: 647–75.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
12.Melamed, Y, Mester, R, Margolin, J, Kalian, M. Involuntary treatment of anorexia nervosa. International Journal of Law and Psychiatry 2003; 26: 617–26.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
13.Beumont, P, Carney, T. Conceptual issues in theorising anorexia nervosa: Mere matters of semantics? International Journal of Law and Psychiatry. 2003; 26: 585–98CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
14.Russell, GFM. Involuntary treatment of anorexia nervosa. Psychiatric Clinics of North America 2001; 24: 337–49.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
15.Vandereycken, W. Whose Competence Should We Question? European Eating Disorders Review 1998; 6: 1–3.3.0.CO;2-J>CrossRefGoogle Scholar
16.Klump, K, Bulik, C, Kaye, W, Treasure, J, Tyson, E. Eating disorders are serious mental illnesses. International Journal of Eating Disorders 2009; 42: 97–103.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
17.South West Hertfordshire HA v KB [1994] 2 FCR 1051.Google Scholar
18.Beumont, PJV. Compulsory treatment in anorexia nervosa. British Journal of Psychiatry 2000; 176: 298–9.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
19.Thiels, C. Forced treatment of patients with anorexia. Current Opinion in Psychiatry 2008; 21:495–8.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
20.Tan, J, Hope, T, Stewart, A. Competence to refuse treatment in anorexia nervosa. International Journal of Law and Psychiatry. 2003; 26: 697–707.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
21.Sullivan, PF. Mortality in anorexia nervosa. American Journal of Psychiatry. 1995; 152: 1073–4.Google ScholarPubMed
22.Birmingham, CL, Jenny, S, Julia, AH, Elliot, MG, Min, G. The mortality rate from anorexia nervosa. International Journal of Eating Disorders 2005; 38: 143–6.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
23.Le Grange, D, Loeb, KL. Early identification and treatment of eating disorders: Prodrome to syndrome. Early Intervention in Psychiatry 2007; 1: 27–39.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed