Dataset Information

The Economic Burden of Food Allergy: What We Know and What We Need to Learn.

ABSTRACT:

Purpose of review

Food allergy management and treatment require dietary modification, are associated with significant burdens, and affect food choices and behaviours. Emerging therapies, such as oral immunotherapy (OIT), provide a glimmer of hope for those living with the condition. Some burdens have received substantial focus, whereas many knowledge gaps on the significance of other impacts, including economic burden, remain.

Recent findings

Evidence from many countries, but disproportionately from the United States, supports that food allergy carries significant healthcare and societal costs. Early introduction for the prevention of food allergies is theoretically cost-effective, but remains largely undescribed. Unique considerations, such as those to cow's milk protein allergy, which affects a substantial proportion of infants, and adrenaline autoinjectors, which have a high cost-per-use, require a balance between cost-effectiveness to the healthcare system and adverse outcomes. Household costs have largely been explored in two countries, but owing to different healthcare structures and costs of living, comparisons are difficult, as are generalisations to other countries. Stock epinephrine in schools may present a cost-effective strategy, particularly in economically disadvantaged areas. Costs relating to OIT must be examined within both immediate benefits, such as protection from anaphylaxis, and long-term benefits, such as sustained unresponsiveness.

Summary

Although the absolute costs differ by region/country and type of food allergy, a consistent pattern persists: food allergy is a costly condition, to those who live with it, and the multiple stakeholders with which they interact.

Supplementary information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40521-022-00306-5.

SUBMITTER: Fong AT

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9046535 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Project description:BackgroundFood allergies are serious and potentially life-threatening, and often place a large burden on patients and their caregivers, including impacts on quality of life.ObjectiveTo assess the real-world patient burden of food allergies, using self-reported data available from the Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE) Patient Registry (NCT04653324).MethodsThe FARE Patient Registry is voluntary and captures real-world experiences of adults and pediatric patients in the United States, and their caregivers, through a series of surveys assessing patient health and experiences with food allergies. Self-reported data were descriptively analyzed.ResultsThe FARE study cohort included 5587 patients with food allergies; 82% had multiple food allergies and 62% were aged <18 years. About half of the patients were first diagnosed by an allergist/immunologist (53%), most commonly with a skin prick test (71%) or a serum immunoglobulin E test (62%). This analysis found that food allergies (most commonly peanut [66%], tree nuts [61%], egg [43%], and milk [37%]) impart a large clinical burden on patients, many of whom experience food-related allergic reactions and comorbidities. Many patients experienced >1 food-related allergic reaction per year (42%), with 46% experiencing food-induced anaphylaxis. Half of all food-related allergic reactions occurred at home. Accidental exposures to food allergens were experienced by 77% of patients. The most common allergic comorbidities reported by patients with food allergies were atopic dermatitis (48%), asthma (46%), and allergic rhinitis (39%). The clinical burden of food allergies were found to be greater in patients with multiple food allergies, and different for adults versus pediatric patients.ConclusionThis is the first study to assess patient experience and disease burden information from patients contributing to the FARE Patient Registry, thus providing a unique insight into the lives of patients in the United States with food allergies. These insights may assist clinicians and other public health stakeholders in the management of patients with food allergies.