Strategic Directions for Advancing Equity in Food Allergy: Takeaways from CFAAR's Summit for Advancing Equity in Food Allergy.

Abstract

In the United States, food allergy (FA) affects an estimated 10.6% of adults and 7.6% of children, totaling over 30 million individuals. Beyond their medical implications, FA places a substantial emotional, social, and economic burden on individuals, families, and caregivers. Disparities in FA education and access to clinical care have been found across socioeconomic and racial groups. To identify and address barriers to equity in FA, Northwestern's Center for Food Allergy and Asthma Research hosted the Summit for Advancing Equity in Food Allergy (SAEFA), a conference bringing together 35 leading experts as panelists and over five dozen diverse FA stakeholders for four key FA panels: Daily Life, Diagnosis, Prevention, and Daily Treatment. Live transcription of the discussions by scribes and real-time projection of notes to the front of the conference room allowed attendees to actively review, contribute to, and refine insights as conversations evolved. The results from the SAEFA conference led to the creation of 5 strategic directions for advancing equity in the field: (1) Enhance Food Allergy Safety in Public Spaces, (2) Expand Community-Based Health Initiatives, (3) Increase Equitable Access to Allergy Care, (4) Strengthen Industry Collaboration and Policy Reform, and (5) Drive Research Innovation. Results from the SAEFA conference help elucidate how tackling FA inequalities demands a comprehensive, multi-sector approach. Implementing strategies to expand access to care, improve patient education, and promote inclusive policies-while drawing from successful models in other areas of healthcare-can drive meaningful progress in improving equity in FA management.