[Quality of life in patients with eating disorders].

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the quality of life of ambulatory patients with eating disorders in relation to the severity of their symptomatology and in comparison with other psychiatric disorders and general population values.

METHODS

Cross-sectional descriptive study of the quality of life of 180 patients recruited at an eating disorders unit. In order to study different aspects of their Health Related Quality of Life, the SF-36, the EAT and the HAD questionnaires were used. The results of the SF-36 were compared to population values of the same gender and age, and to other studies of psychiatric disorders where the SF-36 questionnaire was used.

RESULTS

Patients with eating disorders presented worse quality of life than the general population of the same gender and age, and similar to patients with other psychiatric diagnoses, as schizophrenia, depression or panic disorder. No significant differences were found between patients with diagnoses of restrictive anorexia, purgative anorexia and bulimia. Mental health, rol emotional and vitality were the most affected areas of the SF-36.

CONCLUSIONS

This study shows the severity of these disorders, which have a special incidence in young active women. This fact is becoming an important public health problem and raises the need of specialised assistance.