Megan E. Harrison

An Examination of Medical and Psychological Morbidity in Adolescent Males With Eating Disorders

The objective of this study was to examine the clinical profile of adolescent male patients presenting for eating disorder (ED) assessment over a 17-year period. A retrospective cohort study was completed. A total of 52 patients (8% of the total sample) were included in the study. The average age of patients was 14.7 years and the most common diagnosis observed was Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (EDNOS). Rates of concurrent depression and anxiety were very high, as were rates of medical co-morbidity, including osteoporosis. Our study supports findings documented in previously published reports of males with eating disorders and adds to the limited knowledge base which targets adolescents specifically. Multi-center controlled trials are required to further investigate male-specific ED symptomatology, treatment courses, and outcomes.

Treat Me But Don't Judge Me: A Qualitative Examination of Health Care Experiences of Pregnant and Parenting Youth

STUDY OBJECTIVEnTo share pregnant and parenting youths experiences with health care to inform recommendations for promoting youth-friendly medical encounters.nnnDESIGNnThis exploratory study used a qualitative descriptive approach.nnnSETTINGnThree urban centers that service pregnant youth and young parents in a large Canadian city.nnnPARTICIPANTSnA convenience sample of 26 participants (mean age of 18.7xa0years) was recruited across sites.nnnINTERVENTIONSnFive focus groups were conducted.nnnMAIN OUTCOME MEASURESnFocus groups were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed thematically. Analysis involved the independent, open coding of data by 2 qualitative researchers to identify and compare emerging themes.nnnRESULTSnThree major themes emerged regarding their experiences with health care providers: characteristics of negative health care encounters, the emergence of contemporary stereotypes during these encounters, and characteristics of positive health care encounters. Negative encounters often resulted from perceived judgmental attitudes of providers and were shown to contribute to a general sense of mistrust and fear. Positive health care encounters tended to feature mutual respect, support, open dialogue, and nonjudgmental attitudes.nnnCONCLUSIONnPregnant and parenting youth in our study have experienced many negative health care encounters that have contributed to disengagement and mistrust of the health care system. To engage this high-risk population in health care, practitioners are encouraged to consider their own biases when servicing this population and work toward fostering positive, nonjudgmental interactions, and supportive environments.

But We’re Not Like the People on TV: A Qualitative Examination of How Media Messages are Perceived by Pregnant and Parenting Youth

Objectives The media has long been established as influential in the formation of youth attitudes. It remains unknown, however, whether popular media depictions of teenage pregnancy and motherhood shape the meanings pregnant and parenting youth (PPY) construct. This study explored PPY’s perceptions of media messages portraying PPY. Methods Five focus groups were conducted at three urban centres that service pregnant youth and young parents. Convenience sample of 26 participants was recruited across sites. Focus groups were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim and analyzed thematically. Results Participants were a mean age of 18.7xa0years. Participants felt that the storylines in television reality programs featuring PPY were highly incongruent with their lived experiences and that these representations glamorized teenage pregnancy while failing to capture other realities, such as financial hardship. Further, it was felt that such representations informed public opinion and created a double standard for teen parents. Participants felt that healthcare providers were not immune to media messaging; some participants reported withdrawing socially and others delayed accessing health services because of what they perceived as negative media-fuelled public views. Conclusion This study highlights the need for heightened awareness of the influence of popular media on the portrayal of PPY. Acknowledging and challenging stereotypes of teen pregnancy, as well as initiating dialogue with youth about the impact media has on their lives should be encouraged as a means of facilitating ongoing engagement with health care services.

Adolescent pregnancy and eating disorders: a minireview and case report

BackgroundDespite the fact that eating disorders (EDs) during pregnancy and early child bearing can both individually increase risk to mother and child, there is a paucity of research exploring pregnancy in adolescence and concomitant EDs.CaseWe report the case of a 16-year-old female with atypical anorexia nervosa, who experiences a remission of her ED behavior during pregnancy, followed by a severe relapse in the post-partum period.ConclusionIn this case, pregnancy functioned as a motivator for remission in our patient with concomitant ED. Further research is needed to identify risks of EDs in adolescent pregnancy, to explore the trajectory of pre-existing EDs during pregnancy and to identify effective interventions for prolonging remission into the post-partum period.

Celiac disease and anorexia nervosa: a case report

The relationship between anorexia nervosa and celiac disease remains an area of ongoing research. Identification of celiac disease in patients with restricted nutritional intake can be challenging since abdominal complaints are a common comorbidity associated with eating disorders and since diagnosis of celiac disease requires a duodenal biopsy while on a gluten containing diet. In this report, we present a 12-year-old female who developed anorexia nervosa and was thereafter diagnosed with celiac disease. The latter diagnosis occurred after a 2-year period of persistent abdominal complaints and duodenal biopsies on three separate occasions. Our case highlights the diagnostic challenge, which may include initially missing the diagnosis, associated with celiac disease in patients who are restricting their nutritional intake, and also the importance of re-testing in patients where gastrointestinal complaints are persistent for extended time periods after refeeding.