THE DEMAND FOR EATING DISORDER CARE - AN EPIDEMIOLOGIC-STUDY USING THE GENERAL-PRACTICE RESEARCH DATABASE

Background. An epidemiological study of anorexia nervosa and bulimia n ervosa in primary care was performed using the General Practice Resear ch Database (GPRD). Method. The GPRD was screened between 1988 and 199 4 for newly diagnosed cases of anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. T he validity of the computer diagnosis was established by obtaining cli nical details from a random sample of the general practitioners (GPs). Results. Incidence rates for detection of cases by GPs in 1993 was 4. 2 per 100 000 population for anorexia nervosa, and 12.2 per 100 000 fo r bulimia nervosa. The relative risks of females to males was 40:1 for anorexia nervosa and 47:1 for bulimia nervosa A threefold increase in the recording of bulimia nervosa was found from 1988 to 1993. Eighty per cent of anorexia nervosa cases and 60% of bulimia nervosa cases we re referred to secondary care. Conclusion. There is a continuing expan sion of service need for bulimia nervosa. The majority of cases of eat ing disorders are referred to secondary services. There is scope for m ore effective management of bulimia nervosa in primary care.