The malteser with an eating disorder : a study of the experience of general practitioners with cases of eating disorders

Abstract

The first chapter that is the introduction is about classifications of eating disorders. The persons that suffer form eating disorders have a complex relationship with food. The second chapter is the literature review and it is divided in themes that include a brief history that shows that eating disorders have been present since the ancient Greeks, and that these disorders were given more prominence in these last fifty years. Another topic is about whether females or males prevail in having eating disorders. The causes which trigger an eating disorder and the physiological and psychological affects on the patient are also found in the literature review. Finally different researches explain how different patients are treated and how prevention can help diminishing the problem of eating disorders. In the methodology chapter three, one interview and three open ended questionnaires have been used to collect my data. The sampling method was snowball sampling so that any bias on my part will be eliminated. The interview was conducted in the doctor's clinic while the three questionnaires were sent via e-mail. The doctors all signed a consent form so that all the parties concerned would be protected from any deceptive doings. In the data analysis chapter four, confirmed that females prevailed in suffering form eating disorders. The doctors agreed that something must be done to meliorate the system which at the moment it is far from being holistic. The general practitioners were of the same opinion that a specialized unit have to be established so that the patient would not be mixed with other psychiatric patients. The conclusion also incorporated recommendations of how the eating disorder patient can benefit from a special unit and maybe this unit could be on national cur