Pang Nelson, Nagata Jason M, Testa Alexander, Ganson Kyle T
Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Department of Pediatrics, University of California, 550 16th Street, 4th Floor, Box 0503, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA.
J Eat Disord. 2024 Sep 9;12(1):136. doi: 10.1186/s40337-024-01098-6.
There is limited research on the spatial distribution of eating disorders and the proximity to available eating disorder services. Therefore, this study investigates the distribution of eating disorders among adolescents and young adults in Ontario, Canada, with a specific focus on geographic disparities and access to publicly-funded specialized eating disorder services.
A community sample of 1,377 adolescents and young adults ages 16-30 across Ontario between November and December 2021 participated in this study and completed the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire. Utilizing Geographic Information System (GIS) technology, we mapped the geographic prevalence of eating disorders and examined proximity to specialized eating disorder services. Multiple linear and logistic regression analyses were utilized to determine the association between geographic region and eating disorder symptomatology. Additionally, t-tests were utilized to examine differences between time/distance to specialized services and clinical risk for eating disorders.
Applying geospatial analysis techniques, we detected significant spatial clusters denoting higher eating disorder scores in rural areas and areas with fewer specialized services. Likewise, our findings report disparities between rural and urban areas, suggesting that rural regions exhibit elevated rates of eating disorders. There were no associations between distance/time to services and eating disorder symptomology.
The discrepancies in eating disorder symptomology between urban/rural may stem from stigma and unique socio-cultural contexts in rural communities. The study underscores the need for targeted intervention, including telehealth, in addressing the eating disorder challenges faced by adolescents and young adults in rural regions.
关于饮食失调的空间分布以及与现有饮食失调服务机构的距离的研究有限。因此，本研究调查了加拿大安大略省青少年和青年中饮食失调的分布情况，特别关注地理差异以及获得公共资助的专门饮食失调服务的情况。
2021年11月至12月期间，从安大略省1377名年龄在16至30岁之间的青少年和青年中抽取社区样本参与本研究，并完成饮食失调检查问卷。利用地理信息系统（GIS）技术，我们绘制了饮食失调的地理患病率图，并考察了与专门饮食失调服务机构的距离。采用多元线性回归和逻辑回归分析来确定地理区域与饮食失调症状之间的关联。此外，还利用t检验来考察获得专门服务的时间/距离与饮食失调临床风险之间的差异。
应用地理空间分析技术，我们发现了显著的空间聚集，表明农村地区和专门服务机构较少的地区饮食失调得分较高。同样，我们的研究结果报告了农村和城市地区之间的差异，表明农村地区饮食失调率较高。获得服务的距离/时间与饮食失调症状之间没有关联。
城乡饮食失调症状的差异可能源于农村社区的耻辱感和独特的社会文化背景。该研究强调了在应对农村地区青少年和青年面临的饮食失调挑战时进行有针对性干预的必要性，包括远程医疗。
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