Contesting Care, Navigating Paradoxes: A Thematic Reflexive analysis of Eating Disorders Advocates Voices

Eating disorders affect millions of people in the United States, yet access to care is still limited and uneven. Advocacy groups have become central in raising awareness, reducing stigma, and pushing for changes in healthcare and policy. This study draws on five interviews with eating disorder advocates to understand the roots, tactics, and challenges of eating disorder advocacy in the United States. This study underlines the priorities of advocates and shows how their voices shed light on both the progress made and the work still needed to improve access to fair and effective, long term eating disorder care. Although the findings point to global patterns, they emphasize the ways in which the U.S. healthcare system and political landscape influence what advocates can achieve.