Leaving the nest

Publication date: July 2018
Source:Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, Volume 121, Issue 1
Author(s): Ashley A. Dyer, Amy O'Keefe, Madeleine K. Kanaley, Lauren M. Kao, Ruchi S. Gupta
BackgroundThe transition from adolescence to young adulthood marks a developmental period in which responsibility for management of chronic conditions such as food allergy shifts from the caregiver to the young adult. Fatal food-induced anaphylaxis is most common among adolescents and young adults. However, colleges are currently not well positioned to provide integrated support for students with food allergies.ObjectiveThe study objective was to explore the systems, structures, and policies that currently support students with food allergies at college, assess unmet needs, and develop pilot interventions through the use of patient-centered design processes.MethodsKey informant interviews were conducted with stakeholders in the campus management of food allergies (n = 26) between April and May 2016. Data were coded and assessed for relative frequencies of each code to determine challenges and potential solutions.ResultsThe convergence of stakeholder-identified themes indicated that the transition to college for students with food allergy would be improved by providing support for: (1) Notification of others in the student's campus network about food allergy; (2) Establishing clearly defined roles/responsibilities; and (3) Increasing campus awareness of food allergy signs, symptoms, and lethality. To better provide comprehensive support for students, 5 interventions—collectively called Spotlight—were developed.ConclusionThe use of qualitative research methods, patient-centered design processes, and collaborations with diverse stakeholders—including pediatricians that care for adolescents—can provide a framework for designing coordinated systems and policies to provide comprehensive support to college students with food allergy. Next steps include rigorously testing implementation of the Spotlight intervention prototypes.



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