Food for Thought: A Dissonance Between Healthcare Utilization Costs and Research Funding for Eating Disorders in Canada

Abstract

In this commentary, we present the premise that, in Canada, mental illness research specific to eating disorders is underfunded, and many Canadians are suffering the consequences of this underinvestment. We highlight three critical aspects of eating disorders: 1) the increasingly common yet potentially life-threatening nature of eating disorders, with an onset usually during adolescence; 2) the challenges and costs to treating eating disorders, with a discussion of current hospital-related costs across Canada; and 3) the glaring discrepancy between the money spent on eating disorder diagnoses/treatment and the funding dollars granted for eating disorder research in Canada (i.e. only $0.70 per affected Canadian in 2018). Research funding per affected individual for other psychiatric and neurodevelopmental conditions are used as comparisons (e.g. $50.17 per affected Canadian with schizophrenia). We suggest that it is time to revolutionize treatment for individuals with eating disorders and use our resources in a more efficient and effective manner, using current neuroimaging and neuromodulation methods as promising examples. We conclude by emphasizing the need for increased research funding in the field of eating disorders in Canada, as the current research-related investments hinder progress in developing neuroscientifically-sound treatments for these populations.

Keywords: anorexia nervosa; eating disorders; healthcare costs; research funding.

Figure 1

Multifaceted approach to supporting eating disorder patients. Graphic depiction of a multifaceted approach to better support the patient and advance our understanding of eating disorders. Proposed teams are included in each bubble. The innermost bubble depicts the patient’s immediate contacts and support system. Remaining bubbles include supports that move from more direct to indirect connections with the patient. Ideally, teams from different bubbles will work together.

Figure 2

A) Eating Disorders and Schizophrenia: Prevalence, Standardized Mortality Ratio, Health Care Spending, and Federal Funding. From left to right, bar graphs depicting prevalence, increased risk of death (standardized mortality ratio), health care spending per individual (hospital costs, calculated by CIHI 2017–2018), and CIHR plus SSHRC funding dollars per affected individual in 2018–2019. Blue bars represent eating disorders (or anorexia nervosa in second graph from left); orange bars represent schizophrenia B) Eating disorders as compared to schizophrenia. Visualization of the increased prevalence, risk of death, health care spending, as well as the proportion of research dollars spent on eating disorders compared to schizophrenia.