Professional nurses at a psychiatric hospital in the Western Cape’s knowledge and attitudes towards care of patients with eating disorders

Abstract

Background: Eating disorders are weakening conditions that will affect a person’s physical and mental well-being. In South Africa, the treatment of eating disorders has changed over the years with more patients being treated in the private sector and on an out-patient basis. However, patients admitted to public psychiatric hospitals are still dependent on the care provided by professional nurses. Eating disorders are a wide range of disorders that require highly specialized care; hence the knowledge and attitudes of health workers in general, and nurses, are important for its management.