Blog Assignment 10

The most common form of intervention that is currently in place to address anorexia and bulimia nervosa are various forms of therapy, such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Family Based Therapy (FBT).

CBT is a form of therapy only recommended once weight has been stabilized in the patient first (ED 1). This type of therapy helps patients understand the thoughts and feelings that cause them to act the way they do, allowing them to change the destructives thoughts that negatively influence them (Cherry 1). Anorexics and bulimics that receive CBT had lower rates of relapse and better outcomes than those who did not (ED 1). In this type of therapy, the key determinants that are addressed all have to do with the mindset and mental issues of the patient, including poor body image, peer factors (dealing with negative comments and teasing), and the media (changing the way the patient views media images).

FBT requires the entire family of the patient to attend therapy sessions (ED 1). In this type of therapy, the entire family deals with the issues that are affecting the patient, which helps with the family’s understanding of the disorder and its recovery in order to create a healing environment for the patient (ED 1). Like CBT, FBT helps with the key determinants: poor body image, peer factors, and the media, but additionally addresses parental factors by improving family communication and working through family issues.

In order to improve the issue of eating disorder in the female youth population, a few possible interventions include an in school education campaign about eating disorders, online educational program for coaches, and insurance covered therapy once diagnosed with the disorder.

In a school oriented education campaign, which would be a primary intervention, the signs, symptoms, and complications of eating disorders, as well as the importance of healthy eating habits and high self-esteem, would be promoted throughout the school. This could be done by monthly assemblies, morning media briefs, signs and posters throughout the school, after-school classes, and/or through clubs and organizations. The key determinants that would be addressed would be peer factors, since it might encourage students to refrain from teasing about other students’ weight and poor body image by promoting healthy attitudes about self-image.

Another primary intervention could target female adolescents in sport teams, such as dance, gymnastics, and cheerleading, since the prevalence of eating disorders is significantly greater in these populations. This intervention would entail a nationwide education program for coaches of these at risk teams. If these coaches could be educated on how to recognize eating disorders and how to promote a healthy body image amongst their athletes through an online program, the rates of anorexia and bulimia in these groups could be decreased. The key determinants that would be addressed would be the higher pressures faces by females in sport teams and poor body image through the promotion of high self esteem.

Lastly, a secondary intervention, which would take place after the diagnosis of an eating disorder, could be the implementing of health insurance paid therapy for anorexic and bulimic patients. A patient suffering from an eating disorder needs to change their mental health in addition to their physical health. If they don't, they could relapse and continue down the disordered path. Since therapy is often very expensive and cannot be afforded by all, therapy sessions paid by the health insurance companies could improve how fast a patient recovers and reduce the likelihood of a relapse. The key determinants that would be addressed would be poor body image, family factors, peer factors, and the media, since therapists would help the patient work through all of these types of mental thoughts and issues.

Decision Matrix: (3 – best, 1 – worst)

Options Decision Criteria	Intervention 1: School Education Campaign	Intervention 2: Online Program to Educate Coaches	Intervention 3: Health Insurance Paid Therapy
Effectiveness	2	2	3
Feasibility	2	3	1
Sustainability	2	3	1
Cost	2	3	1
Cost effectiveness	2	3	1
Political acceptability	2	3	1
Social will	2	2	2
Potential for unintended risks	2	2	2
Potential for unintended benefits	2	2	2
Total/conclusion	18	23	14

According to the decision matrix, the intervention with the greatest possibility of success would be the online program to educate coaches of high-risk athletic teams. I used the criteria that we used for the lab because I felt this encompassed many, if not all, the criteria that should be considered when attempting to implement any sort of public health intervention. It is important to not only look at thinks like how effective and feasible an intervention could be, but also how costly and politically acceptable it is as well. Even if an intervention seems ideal on the drawing board, if it is extremely difficult to put into place, due to cost or lack of acceptance, it won’t work. Thus, the online program, which would be the cheapest and acceptable, even if it might not be the most likely to succeed, is the best-recommended intervention.

Works Cited

Cherry, Kendra. "What Is Cognitive Behavior Therapy?" About.com Psychology. N.p., n.d. Web.

19 Apr. 2013.

"Eating Disorders: Best Practices in Prevention and Intervention." Mental Health and Spiritual

Health Care. N.p., 2006. Web. 19 Apr. 2013.