Maciej Wojciech Pilecki, Agnieszka Nowak, Magdalena Zdenkowska-Pilecka

Change in the frequency of consultations concerning eating disorders in the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry in Kraków (Poland) in the years 1988 - 2004             35-40

Summary

Aim. In the opinion of both clinicians and the general public, eating disorders (ED) among girls constitute one of the fastest growing groups of mental disorders in Polish children and adolescents. However, this conviction is only partly supported by reliable scientific research (both in Poland and in other countries of the former Soviet block). The issue of the increase in frequency of ED occurrence in Poland after the (po­litical and socio-economic) transformation of 1989 is scientifically extremely important. Findings relating to this issue could be a starting point for further research on socio-cultural aspects which may be signifi­cant in the development of anorexia and bulimia nervosa.

Material and method. In the study, reasons for first time attendance at psychiatric consultations by girls aged 12 - 21 at the Outpatient Unit of the University Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry in Kraków in 1988, 1996, 2000 and 2004 were analysed. The study took into account data from ambulato­ry records of 788 patients. Additionally, the dynamic of changes in consultations frequency in relation to a number of socio-demographic variables was analysed.

Results. The frequency of first time consultations due to eating disorders increased from 5 cases in 1988 to 90 cases in 2004. This constitutes the largest increase both in absolute numbers and percentage val­ue in comparison to other groups of disorders. Additionally, the dynamic of changes in consultations fre­quency in relation to such variables as: age, type of place of residence (village/city), living in Kraków/out­side Kraków, population of the place of residence were analysed. Girls from the ED group turned out to come from smaller cities than girls with depressive symptoms.

Conclusion. The obtained results may thus constitute a significant argument supporting the hypothesis of an increase in eating disorders in the population of young girls in Poland.

eating disorders / change in consultation frequency