Health Related Quality of Life in Children With Food Allergy: Comparison to Controls and Other Chronic Diseases

Health Related Quality of Life in Children With Food Allergy: Comparison to Healthy Children and Children With Other Chronic Diseases

The number of studies concerning health related quality of life (HRQL) in children with food allergy is very limited.

Only one study to date has compared HRQL of a group of children with food allergy to data published on general population and other chronic diseases. This study concluded to lowest HRQL scores in food allergic children compared to type 1 diabetes mellitus with important impact on scores concerning social activities.

Primary aim:

To compare generic HRQL score in children with food allergy with other chronic diseases and with healthy chidren in an homogeneous socio-cultural context.

Secondary aims :

• To compare generic and specific HRQL scores in children with food allergy
• Identifify in chidren with food allergy, clinical factrors assocated with lowest scores in order to improve our management.

Methods

Generic HRQL questionnaire (CHQ-87) will be distributed :

• after hospital consultation for patients
• in schools for healthy children A specific HRQL questionnaire (FAQLQ-CF or TF) and the " Food Allergy Independent Measure " will also distributed to chidren with food allergy.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Age between 8-18 year old
• IgE mediated food allergy diagnosed by a pediatric allergologist with following criteria:

Convincing history of allergic reaction with positive prick-test and specific IgE Or Open food challenge associated with positive prick-test and specific IgE

• Signed informed consent of the two parents
• Signed informed consent of the child
• Health insurance recipient

Exclusion Criteria:

• Association with another medical or psychiatric chronic disease (excepted for controlled asthma)
• Partially or not controlled asthma during last year
• No signed consent