The Economic Impact of Childhood Food Allergy in the United States

Gupta, Ruchi S.; Holdford, David A.; Bilaver, Lucy; Dyer, Ashley; Holl, Jane L.; Meltzer, David O.

doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2013.2376

Cited by 384 publications

(282 citation statements)

References 14 publications

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“…This study is a secondary analysis of primary data collected by Gupta et al 5 in a cross-sectional study between November 28, 2011 and January 26, 2012. After informed consent was obtained, we asked 1643 caregivers of food-allergic children to complete a computer-based survey to assess the direct medical costs, out-of-pocket costs, and lost opportunity costs that result from their children's food allergies.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…1 The accompanying costs to the US population for prevention and treatment of allergic reactions are enormous at an estimated $24.8 billion annually ($4184 per year per child). 5 These costs include substantial direct medical costs ($4.3 billion annually) borne by the health care system and medical, as well as nonmedical, costs borne by families ($20.5 billion annually). Limited previous research has identified racial and socioeconomic disparities in the economic impact of food allergy.…”

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confidence: 99%

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Socioeconomic Disparities in the Economic Impact of Childhood Food Allergy

et al. 2016

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We compared direct medical costs borne by the health care system and out-of-pocket costs borne by families for children with food allergy by socioeconomic characteristics. METHODS:We analyzed cross-sectional survey data collected between November 2011 and January 2012 from 1643 US caregivers with a food-allergic child. We used a 2-part regression model to estimate mean costs and identified differences by levels of household income and race or ethnicity. RESULTS:Children in the lowest income stratum incurred 2.5 times the amount of emergency department and hospitalization costs as a result of their food allergy than higher-income children ($1021, SE ±$209, vs $416, SE ±$94; P < .05). Costs incurred for specialist visits were lower in the lowest income group ($228, SE ±$21) compared with the highest income group ($311, SE ±$18; P < .01) as was spending on out-of-pocket medication costs ($117, SE ± $26, lowest income; $366, SE ±$44, highest income; P < .001). African American caregivers incurred the lowest amount of direct medical costs and spent the least on out-of-pocket costs, with average adjusted costs of $493 (SE ±$109) and $395 (SE ±$452), respectively.CONCLUSIONS: Disparities exist in the economic impact of food allergy based on socioeconomic status. Affordable access to specialty care, medications, and allergen-free foods are critical to keep all food-allergic children safe, regardless of income and race.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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confidence: 99%

Socioeconomic Disparities in the Economic Impact of Childhood Food Allergy

et al. 2016

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“…Taking into consideration that 8% of children are affected by food allergies (Gupta et al 2011), thus, in the USA, 6 million children, out of a total of 74 million children in 2017 (ChildStats.gov, n.d), could be affected by a change to PAL labelling. Gupta et al (2013) found that family members spend 27% of the indirect costs (costs borne by family) to purchase "allergen-free" food. A more quantitative approach to PAL would widen the food choices of consumers and provide them with informed choices.…”

Section: Probabilistic Modelmentioning

confidence: 99%

“May Contain” Allergen Statements: Facilitating or Frustrating Consumers?

Soon

Manning

2017

J Consum Policy

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As a result of mandatory labelling legislation, major food allergens that commonly cause allergic reactions are declared on packaging. The usage of precautionary allergen labelling (PAL) on packaging is not regulated in all countries, and the food industry uses various forms of "may contain" labelling which firstly is often inconsistent and secondly over time may diminish the value of such advisory statements. Hence, the aims of this paper are to review the current industry usage of PAL and to provide recommendations on future use that are of value to academics, policy makers, food industry, and consumers. A case study example is used to illustrate the likely costs and benefits of improving the current PAL status by considering a "peanut-free" product and calculation using the Voluntary Incidental Trace Allergen Labelling (VITAL) calculator. Governance such as addressing the inconsistent usage of PALs, promoting the harmonization of language used in PALs, and improving PAL status to quantified PAL statements would be helpful in communicating risks to consumers, so they can make informed choices when purchasing food products.

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“…Many prescriptions and services are not covered or carry higher fees, especially brand-name and specialty products, two categories which include epinephrine auto-injectors. In this context, one pediatrician has estimated that treating food allergies alone costs more than US$25 billion per year -more than US$4,000 per food allergy family -in special food, emergency medical costs, and doctor's visit and drug co-pays (Gupta et al 2013). These out-of-pocket costs translate into profits for insurance companies (via co-pays and deductibles), testing companies, health care providers, and drug and device makers (via direct payments for noncovered goods and services).…”

Section: Auto-injectors: Lifesavers or Commodities?mentioning

confidence: 99%

The moral life of epinephrine in the United States

Glabau¹

2016

MAT

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This paper follows the 'moral life' of epinephrine auto-injectors, devices that people with food allergies and their caretakers use to administer emergency medication to stop serious allergic reactions, in the United States. These devices are potent signifiers of the seemingly precarious nature of life with food allergies. I follow auto-injectors from their social birth as a commodity object, through how they structure doctor-patient interactions and parenting, to the ways that parents and illness advocates talk about their life-saving properties. At every step of the way, their significance is influenced by the political-economic context of health care in the United States, which places significant burdens of financial cost and responsibility for deciding what constitutes 'good' care upon individual patients and caretakers. The moral life of epinephrine serves as a model for thinking about how medical devices take on meaning that is at once practical, moral, and economic as they circulate through manufacturing and distribution channels and into the lives and social worlds of users.

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The Economic Impact of Childhood Food Allergy in the United States

Abstract: Childhood food allergy results in significant direct medical costs for the US health care system and even larger costs for families with a food-allergic child.

Cited by 384 publications

References 14 publications

Socioeconomic Disparities in the Economic Impact of Childhood Food Allergy

Socioeconomic Disparities in the Economic Impact of Childhood Food Allergy

“May Contain” Allergen Statements: Facilitating or Frustrating Consumers?

The moral life of epinephrine in the United States

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