Report of the National Institutes of Health workshop on overcoming barriers to treatment research in anorexia nervosa.

Overview

OBJECTIVE: Anorexia nervosa (AN) is associated with serious medical morbidity and has the highest mortality rate of all psychiatric disorders. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) Workshop on Overcoming Barriers to Treatment Research in Anorexia Nervosa convened on September 26-27, 2002 to address the dearth of treatment research in this area. The goals of this workshop were to discuss the stages of illness and illness severity, pharmacologic interventions, psychological interventions, and methodologic considerations. METHOD: The program consisted of a series of brief presentations by moderators, each followed by a discussion of the topic by workshop participants, facilitated by the session chair. RESULTS: This report summarizes the major discussions of these sessions and concludes with a set of recommendations related to the development of treatment research in AN based on these findings. DISCUSSION: It is crucial that treatment research in this area be prioritized.