The Unmet Needs of Patients with Food Allergies

Abstract

This article reviews the unmet needs of patients with food allergies. Anxiety is common among patients with food allergies and their caregivers, which naturally stems from the avoidance, exposure, and uncertainty involved in care. Anxiety associated with allergen avoidance can have both adaptive and detrimental effects on overall health. Anxiety has implications for transitioning the responsibility of health and well-being from caregivers to the patients. As more children with food allergies become adults with food allergies, this will be an urgent topic. Moreover, as more exposure-based therapies become available, understanding patients' psychological expectations and experiences of exposure is vital.

Keywords: Adolescence; Anxiety; Developmental psychology; Food allergy; Oral immunotherapy; PRO.