Quality of Life in Food Allergy: Validation of the Korean Version of the Food Allergy Quality of Life Questionnaire Parent Form (K-FAQLQ-PF) and Risk Factor Analysis

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the reliability and validity of the Korean version of the Food Allergy Quality of Life Questionnaire-Parent Form (K-FAQLQ-PF) and to identify clinical characteristics related to low quality of life (QoL) in Korean children with food allergy (FA). Parents of 0-12-year-old patients with FA were enrolled. The English version of FAQLQ-PF was translated into Korean. Construct validation was confirmed by the Food Allergy Independent Measure-Parent Form (FAIM-PF) and the Child Health Questionnaire Parent Form 28 (CHQ-PF28). Logistic regression analyses were used to evaluate associations between potential risk factors and QoL outcomes. A total of 182 patients with a median age of 5.0 years were enrolled in the study. Cronbach's α coefficient values indicating internal consistency were higher than 0.8. Intraclass correlation coefficient values for test-retest reliability were good for all age groups (r > 0.6). Total K-FAQLQ-PF scores were positively correlated with the FAIM-PF (r = 0.56, P < 0.05) and were negatively correlated with the parental impact-emotional domain in the CHQ-PF28 (r = -0.44, P < 0.05). In multivariable logistic regression analysis, low QoL was significantly associated with female sex (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 2.07; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.03-4.18), age ≥ 5 years (aOR, 2.84; 95% CI, 1.31-6.16), FA diagnosis before the age of 3 years (aOR, 3.96; 95% CI, 1.13-13.93), the presence of atopic dermatitis (aOR, 2.21; 95% CI, 1.07-4.57), and residence in non-metropolitan areas (aOR, 3.44; 95% CI, 1.73-6.85). According to parental perceptions, the K-FAQLQ-PF is a valid and reliable tool to assess psychosocial QoL in Korean children with FAs. Age, sex, residential area, and comorbid AD can affect the QoL of pediatric patients with FA.