Objectives
College health services that assess and treat eating disorders play a very important
role on campuses. Colleges not only want to offer excellent services to their students,
they also have a vested interest in a healthy and high–functioning population which is
able to fully participate in coursework and become contributing adults after
graduation. Students struggling with an eating disorder are unable to fully participate,
and their illness can keep them from achieving their goals. So, early detection,
intervention and treatment are critical for students’ health, as well as the health of the
institution’s overall student body.
The PURPOSE of this study was to understand the relationship between the availability
of eating disorder–related programs and services on campuses across the country to
the needs identified by service providers, and develop a database of services and pro-
grams available on college and university campuses as a resource for:
(1) students and families seeking services to meet their needs appropriately on campuses
(2) professionals in the eating disorders field to learn about other institutions’
programs and have a dialogue that can help increase the number and quality of
services on campuses around the nation, and
(3) for up–and–coming professionals interested in eating disorders to know about
campuses that offer coursework, programs and services.
11