Building an Equitable and Accessible System of Eating Disorder Care for VA, DoD, and Underrepresented Americans

Description

When untreated, eating disorders present with tremendous burdens to affected active duty Service members and Veterans and their families, and are very costly to the DoD and VA healthcare system. A comparative effectiveness study with state-of-the-art virtual treatment for BN and BED specifically adapted for testing with the Veteran population and other underrepresented eating disorder populations will lead to major improvements in clinical outcomes. The treatment will be integrated with VA's newest telehealth technology to profoundly enhance access to care anywhere, at any time. This trial of therapist-led and self-help CBT treatments, combined with our expert panel methods to inform VA Clinical Practice Guidelines for Eating Disorders and plans for dissemination, will accelerate the pace for the transition of results both for large-scale deployment in the VA system and for real-world impact among diverse and underrepresented eating disorder populations.

Conditions

Binge-Eating Disorder, Bulimia Nervosa, Veterans Health, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Study Overview

Study Details

Study overview

When untreated, eating disorders present with tremendous burdens to affected active duty Service members and Veterans and their families, and are very costly to the DoD and VA healthcare system. A comparative effectiveness study with state-of-the-art virtual treatment for BN and BED specifically adapted for testing with the Veteran population and other underrepresented eating disorder populations will lead to major improvements in clinical outcomes. The treatment will be integrated with VA's newest telehealth technology to profoundly enhance access to care anywhere, at any time. This trial of therapist-led and self-help CBT treatments, combined with our expert panel methods to inform VA Clinical Practice Guidelines for Eating Disorders and plans for dissemination, will accelerate the pace for the transition of results both for large-scale deployment in the VA system and for real-world impact among diverse and underrepresented eating disorder populations.

Building an Equitable and Accessible System of Eating Disorder Care for VA, DoD, and Underrepresented Americans With Eating Disorders (EASED Study)

Building an Equitable and Accessible System of Eating Disorder Care for VA, DoD, and Underrepresented Americans

Condition
Binge-Eating Disorder
Intervention / Treatment

-

Contacts and Locations

West Haven

VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, Connecticut, United States, 06516

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

For general information about clinical research, read Learn About Studies.

Eligibility Criteria

  • * Aged 18 and older
  • * Presence of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) Bulimia Nervosa (BN) or Binge Eating Disorder (BED)
  • * Veteran Health Administration (VHA) user
  • * Active psychosis or high acute risk for suicide
  • * Medical or psychiatric illness, or cognitive deficits, that interfere with providing consent, completing assessments, or engaging in treatment for eating disorders
  • * Pregnancy or lactation
  • * Patients with suspected Anorexia or Atypical Anorexia will be excluded and referred to other VA care services

Ages Eligible for Study

18 Years to

Sexes Eligible for Study

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Collaborators and Investigators

VA Connecticut Healthcare System,

Robin M Masheb, PhD, PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR, VA Connecticut Research Department

Study Record Dates

2025-09-29