The impact of childhood food allergy on quality of life of the paediatric population in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Loie T Goronfolah,, Abdulaziz A Abu Alnasr, Abdulaziz M Bazaid, Huda A AlHarbi, Nouf ALJahdali, Yousef H Qari
Abstract
BackgroundFood allergy is an allergic reaction to any type of food that differs in its severity and impact on the patient's life as well as on caregivers.
AimsTo measure the quality of life in the paediatric population with food allergy at National Gourd Health Affairs Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Methods The food allergy quality of life-parent form was used in this study. The sample size is 75 participants. An Arabic translated and validated version of both questionnaires, with minor modifications were used. Demographic profile, allergy profile, and symptoms profiles were described as frequencies. Cronbach’s alpha was calculated for each food allergy quality of life domain. Food allergy quality of life domains were described using the average scores of the summed corresponding variables. A two-way MANOVA was carried out.
Results The total score for patients aged 0–3, 4–6, and 7–12 are 2.01, 2.56, 2.33, respectively. There was no significant interaction between the independent variables (p=0.123). Age group and gender had no effect on the combined score measuring the quality of life (p=0.061, and 0.465, respectively). The total score for parental concern about food safety is 3.56±1.15 (SD) and the total score for child's concern about food safety is 2.81±1.45 (SD). Total score for these domains general health perceptions, parental emotional impact, general mental health, and family and child's activities are 1.6±0.79, 2.84±1.36, 3.09±1.28, 2.39±1.27, respectively.
ConclusionThere were no significant differences between age groups or gender in the overall score. Only minimal differences were observed in (emotional, social and dietary limitation). We highly recommend further studies in the same field to be able to generalize the results in the Saudi paediatric population.
Full Text:
AimsTo measure the quality of life in the paediatric population with food allergy at National Gourd Health Affairs Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Methods The food allergy quality of life-parent form was used in this study. The sample size is 75 participants. An Arabic translated and validated version of both questionnaires, with minor modifications were used. Demographic profile, allergy profile, and symptoms profiles were described as frequencies. Cronbach’s alpha was calculated for each food allergy quality of life domain. Food allergy quality of life domains were described using the average scores of the summed corresponding variables. A two-way MANOVA was carried out.
Results The total score for patients aged 0–3, 4–6, and 7–12 are 2.01, 2.56, 2.33, respectively. There was no significant interaction between the independent variables (p=0.123). Age group and gender had no effect on the combined score measuring the quality of life (p=0.061, and 0.465, respectively). The total score for parental concern about food safety is 3.56±1.15 (SD) and the total score for child's concern about food safety is 2.81±1.45 (SD). Total score for these domains general health perceptions, parental emotional impact, general mental health, and family and child's activities are 1.6±0.79, 2.84±1.36, 3.09±1.28, 2.39±1.27, respectively.
ConclusionThere were no significant differences between age groups or gender in the overall score. Only minimal differences were observed in (emotional, social and dietary limitation). We highly recommend further studies in the same field to be able to generalize the results in the Saudi paediatric population.
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