Predictors of health-related quality of life of European food-allergic patients.
Allergy
; 70(6): 616-24, 2015 Jun.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-25627424
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
Although food allergy has universally been found to impair HRQL, studies have found significant differences in HRQL between countries, even when corrected for differences in perceived disease severity. However, little is known about factors other than disease severity which may contribute to HRQL in food-allergic patients. Therefore, the aim of this study was to identify factors which may predict HRQL of food-allergic patients and also to investigate the specific impact of having experienced anaphylaxis and being prescribed an EAI on HRQL.METHODS:
A total of 648 European food-allergic patients (404 adults, 244 children) completed an age-specific questionnaire package including descriptive questions. Multivariable regression analyses were performed to develop models for predicting HRQL of these patients.RESULTS:
For adults, the prediction model accounted for 62% of the variance in HRQL and included perceived disease severity, type of symptoms, having a fish or milk allergy, and gender. For children, the prediction model accounted for 28% of the variance in HRQL and included perceived disease severity, having a peanut or soy allergy, and country of origin. For both adults and children, neither experiencing anaphylaxis nor being prescribed an epinephrine auto-injector (EAI) contributed to impairment of HRQL.CONCLUSIONS:
In this study, food allergy-related HRQL may be predicted to a greater extent in adults than in children. Allergy to certain foods may cause greater HRQL impairment than others. Country of origin may affect HRQL, at least in children. Experiencing anaphylaxis or being prescribed an EAI has no impact on HRQL in either adults or children.Key words
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Quality of Life
/
Health Status
/
Food Hypersensitivity
Type of study:
Etiology_studies
/
Prognostic_studies
/
Qualitative_research
/
Risk_factors_studies
Aspects:
Determinantes_sociais_saude
/
Patient_preference
Limits:
Adolescent
/
Adult
/
Child
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
/
Middle aged
Country/Region as subject:
Europa
Language:
En
Journal:
Allergy
Year:
2015
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Países Bajos