A050 THE IMPACT OF COVID-19 AND DISEASE CONTROL MEASURES ON PEDIATRIC FOOD ALLERGY PARENTS/CAREGIVERS AND PATIENTS

Abstract

COVID-19 affects the daily lives of many food allergy (FA) patients. To characterize its impact, a national survey was administered to parents/caregivers of food-allergic children. Surveys were administered to parents/caregivers from 1)FARE’s patient registry, 2)the multi-site FORWARD clinical cohort study of Black and White food-allergic children, and 3)Stanford clinical FA patient database. Visual analogue scales from 0(much less)—5(equivalent)—10(much greater) quantified FA-related psychosocial burden relative to 2019. COVID-19 Exposure and Family Impact Surveys (CEFIS) were also administered. Responses were obtained through FARE (N=488), FORWARD (N=118), and Stanford (N=65) between 5/15-7/7. While a greater proportion of FARE and Stanford respondents were high-SES and reported White race/ethnicity relative to FORWARD participants, CEFIS scores were similar (M=6.9-7.6)--indicative of similar levels of COVID-19 exposure/impact. Compared to 2019, FARE respondents reported slightly elevated levels of concern (M=5.4;SD=2.5) about accidental ingestion, anaphylaxis management self-efficacy (M=5.2;SD=1.99); FA-related worry/anxiety/stress (M=5.7;SD=2.2-2.3); their child’s nutrition (M=5.4;SD=2.2), and risk of severe (M=6.4;SD=2.3) and fatal (M=6.0;SD=2.1) FA outcomes. Greater parental concern was reported regarding ability to obtain safe foods (M=6.5;SD=2.4); worry about cross-contact among prepared/delivered foods (M=6.4;SD=2.3); activation of EMS (M=7.0;SD=2.3 or going to the ED (M=7.8;SD=2.1) for anaphylaxis treatment. Comparing parental self- vs child-proxy-report responses suggested children were less burdened. However, parent self- and child-proxy-report among FORWARD and Stanford patients indicated less concern relative to 2019 (M<5) for most of the aforementioned domains except for activating EMS (M=6.0-6.7;SD=2.8-2.3) or receiving FA treatment in the ED (M=6.9-7.3;SD=2.7-2.2). The impact of COVID-19 on FA patients and their parents/caregivers is substantial, but heterogenous.