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Primary Submission Category: Public Health Communication and Trust
Building Analytic Infrastructure for Neglected Public Health Topics: A Case Study in Equity-Informed Eating Disorder Surveillance
Authors: Ariel Beccia, Dougie Zubizarreta, Jill Kavanaugh, Haley McGowan,
Presenting Author: Ariel Beccia*
Eating disorders (e.g., anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa) affect an estimated 7% of U.S. youth, with disproportionate burdens among LGBTQ+ youth, youth of color, and youth experiencing food insecurity and other forms of economic strain – yet they receive far less public health attention, funding, and guidance than comparably prevalent concerns. Furthermore, state and local health agencies that do collect eating disorder data often lack the specialized knowledge needed to analyze and communicate findings rigorously and equitably, limiting the reach and impact of the data they already have. To help bridge this gap, the Eating Disorders Public Health Surveillance Working Group, a multi-state collaboration of researchers, public health professionals, and practitioners, developed two freely available resources for agencies working with youth eating disorder surveillance data: a best practices guide for survey item selection, and a comprehensive data analysis guide. Together, these tools support the full data lifecycle: asking the right questions, analyzing data with equity principles embedded throughout, and translating findings into communications that can inform prevention and health planning at every level. This presentation uses the development of these resources as a case study in building accessible, equity-centered support for under-resourced public health topics. We describe how interdisciplinary collaboration and ongoing input from public health agencies and community organizations shaped tools that are practical, field-ready, and designed to elevate awareness of eating disorders – and conditions like them – as urgent, preventable public health concerns. We close with lessons applicable to researchers, advocates, and public health and medical professionals working to strengthen evidence and action in other under-resourced domains.