Grant: Patient-Oriented Research Collaboration Grants

Eating disorders (EDs) are complex and often chronic mental health disorders that have the highest death rate of all psychiatric disorders together. Despite this, the system available to care for those with EDs is scarce, overflowing, and under-resourced; yet the gaps in treatment are nothing compared to the lack of research in the field. In the last few years, a number of patient advocacy groups, one being the National Initiative for Eating Disorders (NIED) have been created out of sheer frustration in the lack of resources. This not-for-profit group of individuals with lived experience and their families, as well as healthcare professionals from across the field of EDs have taken a lead role in trying to start a national strategy for EDs in Canada. The timing is optimal for the field of EDs to give a voice to patients and their families in the quest to improve research, treatment and policy. The main goal of this project is to conduct a research priority-setting exercise to determine the top ten research priorities that are important to patients and clinicians regarding EDs across the lifespan. A secondary goal is to build capacity for patient-oriented research among professionals who work in the field of EDs. Anticipated outcomes are to stimulate much needed knowledge in the field of eating disorders, partnering with those with lived experience to gain a firm understanding of the needs of those most affected by the devastating illness.