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Using purposive sampling, we recruited 16 physicians confronted with transition in AN adult psychiatrists, child and adolescent psychiatrists and pediatrician and conducted semi-structured interviews, which were anonymized, transcribed, and analyzed following the reflexive thematic analysis framework. Our analysis produced three main themes. Our results are in line with other qualitative research studying transition in AN and in other chronic diseases, either focusing on the experience of healthcare workers, families, or patients.
Our research shows transition in AN as an anxiety-inducing experience for physicians, patients and families alike. Anorexia Nervosa AN is a severe disease, which most of the time starts during adolescence.
In order to better understand this process, we interviewed expert physicians about their experiences of transition in AN using a qualitative thematic analysis which highlighted three main themes.
Second, the conception of AN as a disorder with specific needs challenging the transition process. Helping physicians to support their patients in acquiring autonomy, which is a cornerstone of the transition readiness concept, could be a very efficient way to improve transitions in AN. Keywords: Adolescent, Young adult, Anorexia nervosa, Transition to adult care, Psychiatrists, Mental health services, Qualitative research.
