Food Allergies Have Economic Impact On Families

Main Category: Allergy
Article Date: 15 Mar 2009 - 0:00 PDT

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A study presented at the 2009 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) reports that the families of food allergic individuals are more likely to have financial burdens as a result of the disease.

Tamara T. Perry, MD, and colleagues at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences/Arkansas Children's Hospital Research Institute in Little Rock examined the economic and caregiver impact of food allergy by utilizing the 2005-2006 National Survey of Children with Special Health Care Needs (CSHCN), from which 4,331 food allergic children were identified.

Besides medical and psychosocial stressors, the researchers found that food allergy results in financial troubles for families. When compared to the general survey sample, families with a food allergic child were more likely to stop working, reduce working or incur financial problems.

Further, caregivers were more likely to reduce or stop working when not receiving the needed prescriptions, specialist care or family mental care. In fact, food allergic children had a 2-fold higher risk of not receiving the appropriate specialist care.

The presence of financial problems was associated with this deficiency in specialist care, as well as with a lack of family mental health care. The study authors concluded that ensuring food allergic children and their families receive the necessary care may diminish the economic impact of food allergies.

The AAAAI represents allergists, asthma specialists, clinical immunologists, allied health professionals and others with a special interest in the research and treatment of allergic disease. Established in 1943, the AAAAI has more than 6,500 members in the United States, Canada and 60 other countries.

Notes

- These studies were presented during the 2009 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) on March 13-17 in Washington, DC. However, they do not necessarily reflect the policies or the opinions of the AAAAI.

- A link to all abstracts presented at the Annual Meeting is available on the AAAAI Web site http://aaaai.org/media/newsroom/am2009/

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