Longitudinal Effect Of Food Allergy Education On Epinephrine Availability In Public Schools

Abstract

RationaleThe effect of school nursing food allergy education is unknown. We hypothesized that a didactic educational session for nurses would increase the identification of food allergic children, decrease allergic reactions, and increase the availability of epinephrine injectors.MethodsA survey pre and post a didactic session was administered in 2011 to school nurses addressing causative foods, allergic reactions, and appropriate treatment. A survey one year later was completed by school nurses and outcomes measured. Statistical analysis was performed with the Wilcoxon signed rank test and McNemar’s test. The correlation between the number of food allergic students and number of epinephrine injectors was estimated using Spearman’s rank correlation.ResultsA total of 197 school nurses responded to the survey in at least one year (2010,2012,2013). Sixty-two nurses responded to the survey before and after education with 39 responding all 3 years. The percent of schools with allergic reactions decreased (15% in 2010,0% in 2012,p=0.0143) and the decrease was sustained in 2013 (5%,p=0.1537). Epinephrine injectors increased (median:1/school in 2010,2 in 2012,p<0.001). The correlation between the number of students with food allergies and epinephrine injectors increased from 2010(r2=0.43) to 2012(r2=0.82).ConclusionsEducation significantly impacted school preparedness for food allergic reactions, evidenced by increased correlation between the number of food allergic students and number of epinephrine injectors. Food allergic reactions significantly decreased after education. This data showed a longitudinal effect, supporting implementation of standardized nursing education programs in public schools. RationaleThe effect of school nursing food allergy education is unknown. We hypothesized that a didactic educational session for nurses would increase the identification of food allergic children, decrease allergic reactions, and increase the availability of epinephrine injectors. The effect of school nursing food allergy education is unknown. We hypothesized that a didactic educational session for nurses would increase the identification of food allergic children, decrease allergic reactions, and increase the availability of epinephrine injectors. MethodsA survey pre and post a didactic session was administered in 2011 to school nurses addressing causative foods, allergic reactions, and appropriate treatment. A survey one year later was completed by school nurses and outcomes measured. Statistical analysis was performed with the Wilcoxon signed rank test and McNemar’s test. The correlation between the number of food allergic students and number of epinephrine injectors was estimated using Spearman’s rank correlation. A survey pre and post a didactic session was administered in 2011 to school nurses addressing causative foods, allergic reactions, and appropriate treatment. A survey one year later was completed by school nurses and outcomes measured. Statistical analysis was performed with the Wilcoxon signed rank test and McNemar’s test. The correlation between the number of food allergic students and number of epinephrine injectors was estimated using Spearman’s rank correlation. ResultsA total of 197 school nurses responded to the survey in at least one year (2010,2012,2013). Sixty-two nurses responded to the survey before and after education with 39 responding all 3 years. The percent of schools with allergic reactions decreased (15% in 2010,0% in 2012,p=0.0143) and the decrease was sustained in 2013 (5%,p=0.1537). Epinephrine injectors increased (median:1/school in 2010,2 in 2012,p<0.001). The correlation between the number of students with food allergies and epinephrine injectors increased from 2010(r2=0.43) to 2012(r2=0.82). A total of 197 school nurses responded to the survey in at least one year (2010,2012,2013). Sixty-two nurses responded to the survey before and after education with 39 responding all 3 years. The percent of schools with allergic reactions decreased (15% in 2010,0% in 2012,p=0.0143) and the decrease was sustained in 2013 (5%,p=0.1537). Epinephrine injectors increased (median:1/school in 2010,2 in 2012,p<0.001). The correlation between the number of students with food allergies and epinephrine injectors increased from 2010(r2=0.43) to 2012(r2=0.82). ConclusionsEducation significantly impacted school preparedness for food allergic reactions, evidenced by increased correlation between the number of food allergic students and number of epinephrine injectors. Food allergic reactions significantly decreased after education. This data showed a longitudinal effect, supporting implementation of standardized nursing education programs in public schools. Education significantly impacted school preparedness for food allergic reactions, evidenced by increased correlation between the number of food allergic students and number of epinephrine injectors. Food allergic reactions significantly decreased after education. This data showed a longitudinal effect, supporting implementation of standardized nursing education programs in public schools.