Food Allergy: Knowledge and Attitude of Primary School Teachers in Makkah Region, Saudi Arabia.

Abstract

Food allergy is a serious and potentially life-threatening medical condition that affects both adults and children. School teachers are considered to be among the first line of defense in identifying and responding to such situations, as 22% of food allergic reactions occur in schools. It is, therefore, important to understand the knowledge and attitudes of school teachers toward food allergy. This study is a descriptive, cross-sectional investigation conducted using an online questionnaire fromDecember 2022 to February 2023. We collected data from 413 primary school teachers in Makkah region, Saudi Arabia. SPSS version 21 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY) was used to analyze the data. Out of 413 teachers who met the inclusion criteria, only 14.5% demonstrated good awareness levels (scoring above 60% on the knowledge questionnaire)regarding food allergy, with young teachers making up the highest proportion as 26.1% of younger teachers had good awareness levels compared to 8.8% of teachers aged 51-60 years (p = 0.012). Additionally, 46.7% of the teachers knew the symptoms of a severe allergic reaction, and only 16.7% knew that they should use an epinephrine pen as the first step in managing a severe allergic reaction. School teachers have insufficient knowledge about food allergies, underscoring the importance of establishing school policies to handle food allergies. Such policies should encompass the adoption of a comprehensive food allergy action plan, training programs for school personnel, and educational campaigns.