NEW data reveal a more than 50% increase in psychology referrals for food allergy-related anxiety at one centre in 2023 compared to the previous four years. As food allergies in children continue to rise, so too does the need for psychological services to address the associated anxiety. This trend has been increasingly recognised, and healthcare providers are responding by expanding resources to support affected families.
To better understand the use of psychology services for food allergy-related anxiety, researchers conducted a retrospective chart review of paediatric psychology referrals from 2013 to 2023. The review included 250 patients (141 males and 109 females, median age 9.5 years) referred for food allergy concerns at a tertiary care centre. The data collected included patient demographics, medical history, and the number of psychology appointments attended over this period.
The study found that 88% of patients were referred for food allergy-related issues, with 69% suffering from food-related anxiety and 12% experiencing a significant reduction in quality of life. Over half of the patients (53%) had a history of anaphylaxis, and most had an average of 2.1 allergens. Sixty percent of patients attended at least one psychology appointment, averaging 5.5 follow-up visits within the next year. Notably, food allergy referrals increased 11-fold over the 10-year period, with a significant spike of more than 50% in 2023.
These findings emphasise the growing demand for psychological support in managing food allergy-related anxiety in paediatric patients. The dramatic rise in referrals highlights the need for expanding psychology services to meet the increasing mental health challenges faced by children with food allergies. For clinical practice, this calls for greater integration of mental health professionals into allergy care teams and the development of targeted interventions to improve quality of life for these patients. Future efforts should focus on improving access to mental health services and developing strategies to support families in managing the psychological impact of food allergies.
Reference
La Mantia A et al. Increasing number of psychology referrals for food allergy. Abstract number: R231. ACAAI Congress. 24-28 October, 2024.
