University Research Into Pro-Eating Disorder Websites
25 February 2012, 07:50 | Updated: 25 February 2012, 10:41
One of our universities is starting a big research project into websites that promote illness like anorexia.
As part of Eating Disorders week, Heart's been running a special feature hearing from sufferers, their families, and experts about they can affect people.
University Campus Suffolk (UCS) has been awarded funding to research pro-Anorexia websites. In association with eating disorder charity Beat and Childnet International, UCS is undertaking a 6 month study which aims to improve our knowledge and understanding of young people’s experiences of pro-anorexia (Pro-Ana) websites and online communities.
Now a team at University Campus Suffolk, based in Ipswich, will be looking at what's on Pro-Ana websites, the kind of impact they have - then coming up with ways to raise awareness of the dangers.
The research will examine how young people use the sites for tips and advice, support and other information as an ‘embodied’ social space. The relationship between users’ perceptions of risk and self-identity and the online environments will be examined in order to gain knowledge and understanding of the range, uses and content of these sites.
Dr. Emma Bond is behind it
Related Articles:
http://www.heart.co.uk/suffolk/news/local/eating-disorders-awareness-how-im-beating-anorexia/