The Psychosocial Burden of Pediatric Food Allergy in the United States: A Population-Based Survey

Authors

Melissa L. Engel, Pritzker Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago; 225 East Chicago Avenue, Box 10, Chicago, IL, 60611; Center for Food Allergy and Asthma Research and Institute for Public Health and Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University. Electronic address: mengel@luriechildrens.org.
Christopher M. Warren, Center for Food Allergy and Asthma Research and Institute for Public Health and Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University.
Linda J. Herbert, Children's National Hospital and George Washington University School of Medicine.
Andrea A. Pappalardo, University of Illinois at Chicago, Department of Medicine and Department of Pediatrics.
Ashley Ramos, University Hospitals Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital.
Ruchi S. Gupta, Center for Food Allergy and Asthma Research and Institute for Public Health and Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University; Advanced General Pediatrics and Primary Care, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, IL.

Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Date

12-17-2024

Journal

The journal of allergy and clinical immunology. In practice

DOI

10.1016/j.jaip.2024.12.007

Keywords

Epidemiology; Food Allergy; Food Allergy Independent Measure; Pediatrics; Population Health; Psychosocial Burden; Quality of Life

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Food allergy (FA) affects approximately one in 12 US children, with prevalence increasing. Aside from considerable health care utilization, accumulating research suggests heightened psychosocial burden among this population. OBJECTIVE: To characterize FA-related psychosocial burden among a large, nationally representative pediatric sample, and its correlates, including sociodemographic characteristics, comorbid conditions, allergy severity, allergic symptoms, number and type of allergens, and healthcare utilization. METHODS: A survey was administered between October 2015 and September 2016 to a nationally representative sample of US households. Survey constructs included the Food Allergy Independent Measure (FAIM), which was developed to quantify adverse impacts of living with FA on psychosocial burden (range = 1-7; higher scores indicate greater burden). FAIM responses were analyzed from caregivers reporting current FA in their child (N = 4734). Linear regression models examined associations with sociodemographic and FA characteristics. RESULTS: The overall estimated mean caregiver-proxy FAIM scores for the US pediatric population were 2.79 (SE = 0.03) for reported FA, 2.96 (SE = 0.04) for convincing FA, and 3.21 (SE = 0.05) for physician-confirmed, convincing FA. Significant differences in caregiver-reported burden (p < .05) were found for sociodemographic (i.e., household income, birth country, child age), and clinical (i.e., FA severity, physician diagnosis, specific allergens) factors. CONCLUSION: While heterogenous to a degree, the psychosocial burden of children with FA was substantial irrespective of sociodemographic and clinical characteristics. FAIM norms can be used clinically, as well as be leveraged by other economic, epidemiological, and health efforts to understand the public health impact of FA.

APA Citation

Engel, Melissa L.; Warren, Christopher M.; Herbert, Linda J.; Pappalardo, Andrea A.; Ramos, Ashley; and Gupta, Ruchi S., "The Psychosocial Burden of Pediatric Food Allergy in the United States: A Population-Based Survey" (2024). GW Authored Works. Paper 6140.
https://hsrc.himmelfarb.gwu.edu/gwhpubs/6140

Department

Pediatrics