EDHIT Research Conference addresses equality, diversity and inclusion within eating disorders
- 21st November 2024
160 people joined Bristol Health Partners Eating Disorders Health Integration Team (EDHIT) on 22 October for its third annual research conference, addressing equality, diversity and inclusion within eating disorders. The number of attendees was similar to last year (170 attendees, Nov 2023).
Attendees included academics/researchers, healthcare professionals, voluntary sector workers, students and a large number of those with lived experience.
The event raised awareness of the specific needs of people living with eating disorders from under-represented and minoritized groups, with a focus on low socioeconomic populations, autism and black communities.
The EDHIT was particularly pleased to see representation from across the Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire locality, as well as nationally and internationally, with delegates registering from Argentina, Australia, Germany, Spain and the USA.
Presenters and topics
Body image and socioeconomic status
The first speaker was Samantha (Sam) Hahn, Assistant Professor & Population Health Researcher, Central Michigan University College of Medicine who joined us from the USA, and discussed her body image and socioeconomic status research.
Sam found that low socioeconomic status populations have an increased likelihood of risk factors (i.e. experiencing racism, marginalization, chronic stress, stigma, trauma and adverse childhood experiences, food insecurity and worse food environments), and decreased treatment accessibility.
Low socioeconomic status populations are:
- 30% more likely to develop an eating disorder
- Less likely to get treatment:
- 52% less likely to believe that they need treatment
- 48% less likely to get a diagnosis
- Treatments are not designed for them, may be less efficacious
The research highlighted the need to make healthcare more equitable and a number of recommendations were identified: to work on policy and advocacy to reduce risk factors, to educate people and fight the SWAG (skinny, white, affluent girl) stereotype and implicit bias, to provide culturally competent care, and increase accessibility for low socioeconomic status populations through targeted outreach work.
‘Body image and socioeconomic status’ – view the presentation
Body image and autism
Next, Phaedra Longhurst, PhD Researcher & Associate Lecturer, Anglia Ruskin University, UK presented on body image and autism.
Phaedra explained that many commonly used measures (psychometric tools) for eating disorders potentially lack validity and reliability in the autistic population. For example, autistic people may interpret and respond to existing measures of positive body image, such as the Body Appreciation Scale-2 (Tylka & Wood-Barcalow, 2015), differently to the general population.
Phaedra’s project aim was to establish a holistic understanding of how positive body image is experienced among autistic people; what it looks like and how to measure it. A revised version of the Body Appreciation Scale-2 for use in autistic adults (BAS-2A) was developed.
Read more
- Body image and autism: A scoping review
- “There’s No Separating My View of My Body from My Autism”: A qualitative study of positive body image in autistic individuals
- Psychometric study of BAS-2A
It is hoped, that by developing more sensitive measures, it will increase understanding of the prevalence of eating disorders in autistic populations, as well support prevention and intervention strategies.
Lived experience
To conclude, there was a lived experience talk from Constance Shiridzinomwa, a Black parent, caring for a loved one with an eating disorder. A mother of three girls, Christian in faith, and living and working in Bristol, Constance spoke from the heart, with honesty and humanity. Themes of her talk included culture, religion, barriers to access within healthcare services, and her struggles and strengths as a parent.
Key points of learning included the importance of culturally sensitive and holistic care, raising community awareness and understanding around mental health issues (i.e. within the church and wider community), and the importance of listening, involving and caring for the family/supporters throughout the journey of their loved one’s recovery.
Feedback
EDHIT asked delegates to provide feedback and reflections on the event:
“Fantastic speakers and ease to participate in this event …”.
“… The blend of lived experiences, education and raising awareness was really insightful and offered the listener much to reflect on in both a professional sense (with barriers within services) but personal sense (challenging one’s own assumptions)”.
“This was a brilliant event, and I would absolutely attend future conferences and would recommend it widely to colleagues and through my networks”.
“Hearing about Autism, made us think how we need to change our referral form for neurodiverse people wanting ed support”.
“The conference was a great platform for knowledge sharing”.
“I have learnt not only the importance of focusing on the individual as a whole unique person, but also to be mindful of the impact EDs may/can have on the support systems of these individuals”.
“…this was incredibly valuable to really understand a family’s experience of out/in-patient care”.
“As someone who is autistic, the second talk about body image and autism was most interesting to me …. It explained and articulated a lot of thoughts I have had myself about why I feel the way I do in relation to my body/eating etc”.
