| Popis: |
Background: Sexual minority adolescents and young adults are at higher risk of eating disorders compared to heterosexual peers. However, little is known about the clinical and psychiatric presentation of this population requiring inpatient medical stabilization. The objectives of this study were to 1) describe the clinical characteristics of sexual minority adolescents and young adults with eating disorders admitted for medical instability and 2) compare psychiatric co-morbidities and suicidality of sexual minority adolescents and young adults to heterosexual peers. Methods: A retrospective chart review was conducted of 601 patients admitted to a large inpatient eating disorders medical stabilization unit between 2012 and 2020. Data collected included age, sex assigned at birth, sexual orientation, eating disorder diagnosis, percent median body mass index at admission, vital signs at admission, co-morbid psychiatric diagnoses, psychiatric medication use, and suicidality or self-injurious behavior. Fisher’s exact, Chi square or t-tests were used to examine potential differences in clinical characteristics and psychiatric co-morbidities between groups. Modified Poisson regression was used to assess associations between sexual orientation and psychiatric co-morbidities.Results: Over one fifth (21.1%, n = 103) of our inpatient sample identified as a sexual minority individual. There was no significant difference between eating disorder diagnosis types by sexual orientation. Sexual minority adolescents and young adults had higher percent median body mass index compared to their heterosexual peers and yet equally severe vital sign instability on admission. Sexual minority adolescents and young adults were almost 1.5 times more likely to have a psychiatric comorbidity with higher rates of depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Sexual minority adolescents and young adults were approximately two times more likely to have a history of self-injurious behaviors and/or suicidality. Conclusions: Sexual minority adolescents and young adults with eating disorders have equally severe vital sign instability despite higher percent median body mass index on admission for medical stabilization. Sexual minority adolescents and young adults hospitalized for medical complications of eating disorders are far more likely to have an additional mental health disorder and a history of self-harm and/or suicidality, which may portend a less favorable long-term prognosis. |
