Impact of safe nuts introduction on QOL of children and parents
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Exploring how introducing safe nuts into the diets of nut-allergic children impacts health-related quality of life of children and parental burden.
IRAS ID
298503
Contact name
Felicitas Obetoh
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Oxford University Hospitals Foundation NHS Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 10 months, 1 days
Research summary
Nut allergy has the potential to significantly hamper quality of life for both nut-allergic children, and their parents. Everyday, both children and their parents have to deal with the very real threat of an allergic reaction, which in some instances, can be life-threatening. This worrying prospect means that dietary vigilance is essential for children and their parents. For example, buying food at the supermarket, eating food out in restaurants, being in contact with others who eat nuts. All of these can make day-to-day life for sufferers very difficult, and the burden on their parents can be marked. This impact on quality of life can lead to sufferers and their parents cutting out all dietary nuts to ensure no chances are taken over the risk of a life-threatening allergic reaction. This however, has the potential to further impair quality of life as both sufferers and parents have to maintain a restricted diet.
In this study, we aim to assess children who are allergic to nuts and avoiding more than 2 nuts , as well as asses the degree of burden placed on their parents in adhering to their allergy management. These measures will be assessed through the use of validated health related food allergy quality of life questionnaires. We will then provide the study participants (i.e. nut-allergic children and their parents) with advice concerning their nut allergy, which will include information on how they can safely reintroduce nuts into their diet that they are not allergic to (‘safe nuts’). After a 3 month period, we will invite the study participants to complete the questionnaires again, so that we can establish whether providing the advice led to any significant changes in quality of life of the nut-allergic children, as well as parental burden. In this study, we will also be aiming to ascertain any potential barriers that would prevent children and their parents including ‘safe nuts’ in their diet.REC name
Yorkshire & The Humber - Leeds East Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
23/YH/0191
Date of REC Opinion
17 Oct 2023
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion