Burcin Beken1, Velat Celik1, Pinar Gokmirza Ozdemir1, Necdet Sut2, Isik Gorker3, Mehtap Yazicioglu1. 1. Department of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology, Trakya University Faculty of Medicine, Edirne, Turkey. 2. Department of Biostatistics, Trakya University Faculty of Medicine, Edirne, Turkey. 3. Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Trakya University Faculty of Medicine, Edirne, Turkey.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Food allergy is associated with stress, anxiety, and impairment in quality of life in both children and families. This study aimed to assess the anxiety of mothers in the case of suspected food allergy in their children and the influence of Internet usage on their levels of anxiety and food elimination. METHODS: Ninety-two patients aged 0-2 years presented at a pediatric allergy department following either a physicians' presumptive diagnosis or family's suspicion of food allergy (Group 1) and 99 healthy controls (Group 2) were evaluated. The clinical diagnosis of food allergy was confirmed or excluded by oral food challenge (OFC). The validated Turkish version of Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) was applied to the mothers of both groups on admission and to Group 1 3 months after OFC. RESULTS: The state and trait anxiety (STAI-S and STAI-T) scores were significantly higher in Group 1 than Group 2 (P < 0.001, z = 5.410, and P = 0.021, z = 2.304, respectively). Seventy-nine mothers (85.9%) had been eliminating foods on admission. Thirty-seven (40.2%) mothers had eliminated foods on their own. The performance of food allergy-related Web searches was significantly higher among mothers who eliminated foods by themselves than those who did not (P = 0.004, χ2 = 8.391, df = 1). The second STAI-S score was significantly lower among mothers whose children's food allergy diagnosis was excluded than confirmed (effect size = 1.06 (95% CI: 0.56-1.57), P = 0.001, z = 3.442). CONCLUSION: It is important to make a correct food allergy diagnosis with a detailed allergy work-up, including OFC, to avoid anxiety and not cause unnecessary food elimination.
BACKGROUND:Food allergy is associated with stress, anxiety, and impairment in quality of life in both children and families. This study aimed to assess the anxiety of mothers in the case of suspected food allergy in their children and the influence of Internet usage on their levels of anxiety and food elimination. METHODS: Ninety-two patients aged 0-2 years presented at a pediatric allergy department following either a physicians' presumptive diagnosis or family's suspicion of food allergy (Group 1) and 99 healthy controls (Group 2) were evaluated. The clinical diagnosis of food allergy was confirmed or excluded by oral food challenge (OFC). The validated Turkish version of Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) was applied to the mothers of both groups on admission and to Group 1 3 months after OFC. RESULTS: The state and trait anxiety (STAI-S and STAI-T) scores were significantly higher in Group 1 than Group 2 (P < 0.001, z = 5.410, and P = 0.021, z = 2.304, respectively). Seventy-nine mothers (85.9%) had been eliminating foods on admission. Thirty-seven (40.2%) mothers had eliminated foods on their own. The performance of food allergy-related Web searches was significantly higher among mothers who eliminated foods by themselves than those who did not (P = 0.004, χ2 = 8.391, df = 1). The second STAI-S score was significantly lower among mothers whose children's food allergy diagnosis was excluded than confirmed (effect size = 1.06 (95% CI: 0.56-1.57), P = 0.001, z = 3.442). CONCLUSION: It is important to make a correct food allergy diagnosis with a detailed allergy work-up, including OFC, to avoid anxiety and not cause unnecessary food elimination.
Authors: Wouter W de Weger; Margreet Kunst; Catherina E M Herpertz; Gerbrich van der Meulen; Lidy van Lente; Gerard H Koppelman; Aline B Sprikkelman; Arvid W A Kamps Journal: Clin Exp Allergy Date: 2021-11-23 Impact factor: 5.401