Pediatricians' attitudes towards allergy: past and present attitudes of pediatricians towards allergy

Abstract

In 1971 we published a survey of pediatricians' knowledge, attitudes, and practices relative to the field of allergy. This current survey was conducted to determine how these attitudes and practices have changed over the past 27 years. Our survey, consisting of 17 questions, was sent to 250 board certified pediatricians in the St. Louis area. Seven of the questions were similar to those in the 1971 survey, while the other ten were new questions which we thought were pertinent to the field of allergy currently. In 1971, 75% of the pediatricians felt the specialty of allergy had great or moderate importance for the practice of pediatrics compared with 99% in 1998. In 1998, the number of physicians who felt that there was at least some value to skin testing had increased from 1971, although, only 36% felt it had great value. In 1971, 23% of pediatricians performed their own skin tests compared with 3% in 1998. Nine percent indicated that they had never referred a patient to an allergist in 1971, compared with 2% in 1998. Our new questions looked at to whom respondents were more likely to refer patients with: (1) asthma (68% allergy, 27% pulmonary, 4% both), (2) urticaria (53% allergy, 41% dermatology, 2% both), (3) chronic eczema (45% allergy, 50% dermatology, 2% both), and (4) chronic sinusitis (24% allergy, 74% otolaryngology, 2% both). Older physicians placed greater importance on the field of allergy and skin testing and were more likely to refer to an allergist than physicians under the age of 40 years. Our results indicate that although there has been significant change in 27 years, allergists must be more aggressive in developing the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of physicians relative to the field of allergy.