The needs of carers of patients with anorexia and bulimia nervosa.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to assess the degree of distress and the need for support of carers of patients with anorexia and bulimia nervosa (BN).

METHODS: Thirty-two carers filled out the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) and the Burden Inventory (BI). In addition, they were interviewed with a semi-structured research interview, the Carers' Needs Assessment (CNA), to assess relevant problem areas as well as the needs for helpful interventions. Patients were interviewed with the Eating Disorder Examination (EDE) to assess the severity of the eating disorder. All patients met criteria for anorexia (n = 16) or BN (n = 16) according to DSM-IV criteria.

RESULTS: The mean duration of illness was 5.6 years. The mean age of the carers was 41 years. Most of the carers were mothers or partners. In the CNA we found high numbers of problems as well as high numbers of needed interventions. The most frequently mentioned problem area was 'disappointment caused by the chronic course of the illness, concerns about the patient's future' and the most frequently reported need for support was 'counselling and support by a professional'. In three problem areas carers of persons suffering from anorexia nervosa (AN) reported significantly higher scores than carers of persons suffering from BN.

CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that carers themselves have high levels of needs which are usually not addressed in clinical practice.