The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on multicultural families with food allergy
Background: Families with food allergy, in particular, have faced numerous challenges, often in the setting of financial and emotional stress during the coronavirus disease 2029 (COVID-19) pandemic. Objective: We examined the impact of the pandemic in a diverse population of families with food aller...
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Elsevier
2025-05-01
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| Series: | Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: Global |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772829325000396 |
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| author | Tracy Pitt, MD Melissa Hearrell, MSN, APRN, FNP-C Xiaofan Huang, MS Kristen A. Staggers, MS Carla M. Davis, MD |
| author_facet | Tracy Pitt, MD Melissa Hearrell, MSN, APRN, FNP-C Xiaofan Huang, MS Kristen A. Staggers, MS Carla M. Davis, MD |
| author_sort | Tracy Pitt, MD |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Families with food allergy, in particular, have faced numerous challenges, often in the setting of financial and emotional stress during the coronavirus disease 2029 (COVID-19) pandemic. Objective: We examined the impact of the pandemic in a diverse population of families with food allergy. Methods: An online survey was administered between October 2020 and January 2021 through recruitment of adult caregivers of at least 1 child with food allergy. Survey responses were summarized by frequencies with proportions and medians with interquartile ranges or means plus or minus SDs. Results: Of the 307 individuals who completed questionnaires, 96% were female and 4% were male, with 24% classified as African American, Hispanic or Latinx, Asian, or “other.” Of the respondents, 52% experienced a decrease in household income during the pandemic. Financial stress (P < .001) and lack of access to allergen-free foods (P = .032) was seen in significantly more caregivers with an income less than $200,000. Of the respondents, 76% experienced increased stress or discord within the home. Although becoming a member of a food allergy support group increased over time, significantly fewer African American respondents were members of a support group. The hospitalization rate for COVID-19 did not differ significantly between racial/ethnic groups. Conclusion: Our questionnaire has characterized the significant impact of economic as well as psychological stressors of the pandemic in a diverse population. Further studies on this topic are needed to help minimize the impact of future pandemics in a multicultural population. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-893a22875ffb4187b4a596d371836ef4 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2772-8293 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: Global |
| spelling | doaj-art-893a22875ffb4187b4a596d371836ef42025-08-20T03:49:03ZengElsevierJournal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: Global2772-82932025-05-014210043810.1016/j.jacig.2025.100438The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on multicultural families with food allergyTracy Pitt, MD0Melissa Hearrell, MSN, APRN, FNP-C1Xiaofan Huang, MS2Kristen A. Staggers, MS3Carla M. Davis, MD4Department of Pediatrics, Humber Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, CanadaDepartment of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TexInstitute of Clinical and Translational Research, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TexInstitute of Clinical and Translational Research, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TexDepartment of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Tex; Department of Pathology and Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Tex; Corresponding author: Carla M. Davis, MD, Howard University Hospital, 2041 Georgia Avenue, Suite 6B02, Washington, DC 20060.Background: Families with food allergy, in particular, have faced numerous challenges, often in the setting of financial and emotional stress during the coronavirus disease 2029 (COVID-19) pandemic. Objective: We examined the impact of the pandemic in a diverse population of families with food allergy. Methods: An online survey was administered between October 2020 and January 2021 through recruitment of adult caregivers of at least 1 child with food allergy. Survey responses were summarized by frequencies with proportions and medians with interquartile ranges or means plus or minus SDs. Results: Of the 307 individuals who completed questionnaires, 96% were female and 4% were male, with 24% classified as African American, Hispanic or Latinx, Asian, or “other.” Of the respondents, 52% experienced a decrease in household income during the pandemic. Financial stress (P < .001) and lack of access to allergen-free foods (P = .032) was seen in significantly more caregivers with an income less than $200,000. Of the respondents, 76% experienced increased stress or discord within the home. Although becoming a member of a food allergy support group increased over time, significantly fewer African American respondents were members of a support group. The hospitalization rate for COVID-19 did not differ significantly between racial/ethnic groups. Conclusion: Our questionnaire has characterized the significant impact of economic as well as psychological stressors of the pandemic in a diverse population. Further studies on this topic are needed to help minimize the impact of future pandemics in a multicultural population.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772829325000396Stresssurveysupport groupfood allergyimpact of the pandemicsocial isolation |
| spellingShingle | Tracy Pitt, MD Melissa Hearrell, MSN, APRN, FNP-C Xiaofan Huang, MS Kristen A. Staggers, MS Carla M. Davis, MD The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on multicultural families with food allergy Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: Global Stress survey support group food allergy impact of the pandemic social isolation |
| title | The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on multicultural families with food allergy |
| title_full | The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on multicultural families with food allergy |
| title_fullStr | The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on multicultural families with food allergy |
| title_full_unstemmed | The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on multicultural families with food allergy |
| title_short | The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on multicultural families with food allergy |
| title_sort | impact of the covid 19 pandemic on multicultural families with food allergy |
| topic | Stress survey support group food allergy impact of the pandemic social isolation |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772829325000396 |
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