Psychosocial functioning in food allergy: focus on quality of life
Published: September 30, 2022
Pediatric food allergy (FA) can place a significant burden on pediatric patients and their families. Learning about the emotional and social experiences of families of children with food allergies is important to understand what factors could impact the clinical course of disease and to identify ways to improve the lives of families affected by FA. Overlooking certain areas of psychosocial functioning or certain groups of patients in research may lead to findings that are not generalizable to all pediatric FA patients.
In a recent issue of The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (JACI), Cushman et al. conducted a scoping review of the literature on psychosocial functioning in pediatric patients with FA and their caregivers, siblings, and families. The aims of the review were to (1) summarize and describe the state of the literature on psychosocial functioning, (2) identify gaps in the literature, and (3) provide recommendations for areas of future research related to psychosocial functioning within the context of pediatric FA.
A total of 257 articles were included in the review. Across studies, a large proportion of the research within psychosocial functioning focused on quality of life. Areas such as anxiety were also studied but to a lesser extent. The emphasis on quality of life was found in both child and caregiver studies. Findings also indicated that most studies were cross-sectional, were conducted in North America and Europe, and focused on children and caregivers as opposed to siblings or family units. Race and ethnicity were infrequently reported and when these features of identity were reported, there tended to be low representation of patients from racially and ethnically minoritized backgrounds.
The increase in the number of research studies focusing on psychosocial functioning within pediatric FA is promising given the substantial burden families face. However, the current research may not generalize to the diverse population of pediatric patients with FA. Cushman and colleagues provide recommendations for future researchers, including the need to diversify samples of participants regarding race, ethnicity, and country of origin; to examine psychosocial functioning over time; to examine areas beyond quality of life (e.g., anxiety, bullying, illness burden); and to consider how psychosocial functioning, disease, and social contexts may be connected.
The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (JACI) is an official scientific journal of the AAAAI, and is the most-cited journal in the field of allergy and clinical immunology.
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