Food allergies on a college campus.
Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol
; 132(5): 579-584, 2024 05.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-38296046
ABSTRACT
There are limited data on food allergies among college students. In this article, we review the most current available studies. These self-reported surveys and qualitative interviews reported overall poor avoidance of known allergens and low rates of carrying self-injectable epinephrine among students with food allergy. College students may exhibit risk-taking food behaviors due to a number of factors, including age-appropriate risk-taking predilection, strong social influences, and lack of experience in self-advocacy. Having to disclose an otherwise invisible condition repeatedly in a new environment may also lead to "disclosure fatigue," creating an additional barrier to self-advocacy. Common themes in the narrative include hypervigilance, stigma management, and concern about others' misunderstanding of food allergy. Although there is a paucity of data in this area, it is likely that having greater support at the institution level, along with support from peers and faculty, may help improve awareness, self-injectable epinephrine carriage, and allergen avoidance. This review also discusses strategies for preparedness at school, including specific steps to maximize safety.
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Students
/
Epinephrine
/
Food Hypersensitivity
Type of study:
Qualitative_research
Limits:
Humans
Language:
En
Journal:
Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol
Journal subject:
ALERGIA E IMUNOLOGIA
Year:
2024
Type:
Article