Table 2.
Participant demographics
| Characteristic | n (proportion) | Mean (SD; years) | Range (years) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age | 41.6 (11.5) | 29–66 | |
| Duration of illnessa | 26.2 (13.2) | 7–53 | |
| Stage of illness | |||
| Currently ill | 6 (54.55%) | – | – |
| Recovering | 3 (27.27%) | – | – |
| Recoveredb | 2 (18.18%) | – | – |
| AN subtype | |||
| Restricting | 9 (81.82%) | – | – |
| Binge-eating/purging | 2 (18.18%) | – | – |
| Employment status | |||
| Unemployed | 4 (36.36%) | – | – |
| Casual | 2 (18.18%) | – | – |
| Part-time | 1 (9.09%) | – | – |
| Full-time | 4 (36.36%) | – | – |
| Marital status | |||
| Single | 8 (72.73%) | – | – |
| De-facto/married | 3 (27.27%) | – | – |
| Children | |||
| No | 8 (72.73%) | – | – |
| Yes | 3 (27.27%) | – | – |
| Language spoken at home | |||
| English | 11 (100%) | – | – |
AN = Anorexia Nervosa. BMI was not collected as irrelevant for the current study
aEach participant provided their own indication of when their illness began. The decision to have women decide the illness starting point was in line with the current research method of working with lived-experience participants who are regarded as the expert on their experience. The majority of participants regarded the starting point of their illness to be when they themselves first noticed symptoms of AN (n = 10), with some of these women (n = 2) also receiving a diagnosis by a health professional the same year symptoms began. The remaining participant (n = 1) regarded the illness starting point to be when family and friends first noticed symptoms
bAlthough classified as recovered, participants (n = 2) still experienced cognitive symptoms related to AN