Posters
Presenting Author Academic/Professional Position
Medical Student
Academic Level (Author 1)
Medical Student
Academic Level (Author 2)
Medical Student
Academic Level (Author 3)
Medical Student
Academic Level (Author 4)
Medical Student
Academic Level (Author 5)
Medical Student
Presentation Type
Poster
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Clinical Science
Abstract Type
Research/Clinical
Abstract
Introduction: According to the DSM-V-TR, eating disorders are defined as a persistent disturbance of eating-related behavior that has an outcome of altered consumption or absorption of food that significantly harms psychosocial functioning or physical health. In studies done on a nationally representative sample of adults, eating disorders were seen to be highly associated with other psychiatric disorders, most frequently including mood disorders, substance use disorders, and anxiety disorders. This study sought to analyze the prevalence of patients with eating disorders and co-morbid psychiatric conditions in the Rio Grande Valley.
Methods: We conducted a retrospective chart review at UTHealth RGV from 2019 to 2024. We analyzed medical chart ICD-10 codes for eating disorders of Bulimia Nervosa (F50.2) and Anorexia Nervosa (F50.00). Demographic information was collected such as age, sex, and ethnicity. Co-morbid diagnoses and data from the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) were recorded if accessible. Descriptive analyses were evaluated in Microsoft Excel.
Results: For the five-year period, we identified 48 unique patients. Most patients in the dataset identified as female (85.4%, n=41) and were of Hispanic or Latino/Spanish ethnicity (72.9%, n=34). In our cohort of patients with eating disorders, 41.7% (n=19) had an anxiety disorder or another unspecified anxiety disorder, and 33.3% (n=16) had Major Depressive Disorder. 12.5% (n=6) of patients had substance abuse disorder, 14.6% (n=7) had post-traumatic stress disorder, and 8.33% (n=4) had panic disorder,12.5% (n=6) had self-harm or suicidal ideation, and 8.33% (n=4) had attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.
Conclusion: Altogether, 75% (n=36) of the patients in our data had a psychiatric diagnosis besides an eating disorder (anorexia Nervosa, bulimia Nervosa). Most of the comorbidities in the data are for anxiety and mood disorders. Given the lack of research done on a predominantly Hispanic or Latino population in the United States, our data emphasizes the need for more psychiatry research as treatment for eating disorders can be complicated by co-morbidities.
Recommended Citation
Paz, Julia T.; Quintanilla, Miguel; Zamora, Karina; Duddu, Sowmya; Malbas, Maria Sophia; McAdams, Allison; and Baker, Kelsey, "Retrospective Analyses of Co-Morbid Psychiatric Diagnoses among Eating Disorder Patients in the Rio Grande Valley" (2025). Research Symposium. 83.
https://scholarworks.utrgv.edu/somrs/2025/posters/83
Included in
Retrospective Analyses of Co-Morbid Psychiatric Diagnoses among Eating Disorder Patients in the Rio Grande Valley
Introduction: According to the DSM-V-TR, eating disorders are defined as a persistent disturbance of eating-related behavior that has an outcome of altered consumption or absorption of food that significantly harms psychosocial functioning or physical health. In studies done on a nationally representative sample of adults, eating disorders were seen to be highly associated with other psychiatric disorders, most frequently including mood disorders, substance use disorders, and anxiety disorders. This study sought to analyze the prevalence of patients with eating disorders and co-morbid psychiatric conditions in the Rio Grande Valley.
Methods: We conducted a retrospective chart review at UTHealth RGV from 2019 to 2024. We analyzed medical chart ICD-10 codes for eating disorders of Bulimia Nervosa (F50.2) and Anorexia Nervosa (F50.00). Demographic information was collected such as age, sex, and ethnicity. Co-morbid diagnoses and data from the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) were recorded if accessible. Descriptive analyses were evaluated in Microsoft Excel.
Results: For the five-year period, we identified 48 unique patients. Most patients in the dataset identified as female (85.4%, n=41) and were of Hispanic or Latino/Spanish ethnicity (72.9%, n=34). In our cohort of patients with eating disorders, 41.7% (n=19) had an anxiety disorder or another unspecified anxiety disorder, and 33.3% (n=16) had Major Depressive Disorder. 12.5% (n=6) of patients had substance abuse disorder, 14.6% (n=7) had post-traumatic stress disorder, and 8.33% (n=4) had panic disorder,12.5% (n=6) had self-harm or suicidal ideation, and 8.33% (n=4) had attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.
Conclusion: Altogether, 75% (n=36) of the patients in our data had a psychiatric diagnosis besides an eating disorder (anorexia Nervosa, bulimia Nervosa). Most of the comorbidities in the data are for anxiety and mood disorders. Given the lack of research done on a predominantly Hispanic or Latino population in the United States, our data emphasizes the need for more psychiatry research as treatment for eating disorders can be complicated by co-morbidities.
