Living at risk: Exploring the psychological effects of childhood food allergy on mothers.

IF 2.1 4区 医学 Q3 ALLERGY
Allergologia et immunopathologia Pub Date : 2025-09-01 eCollection Date: 2025-01-01 DOI:10.15586/aei.v53i5.1370
Elif Küçük, Fatih Çiçek
{"title":"Living at risk: Exploring the psychological effects of childhood food allergy on mothers.","authors":"Elif Küçük, Fatih Çiçek","doi":"10.15586/aei.v53i5.1370","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>Food allergy (FA) is a growing public health concern, imposing significant psychosocial burdens on families and necessitating strict allergen avoidance. The unpredictability of severe reactions is associated with increased anxiety, dietary restrictions, and reduced quality of life.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We conducted a cross-sectional study including 77 mothers of children (0-12 years) with FA and 71 mothers of healthy children. Participants completed the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), Zarit Caregiver Burden Scale (ZCBS), and European Health Impact Scale (EUROHIS-QOL). Statistical analyses compared anxiety, caregiver burden, and quality of life between groups and explored sociodemographic factors.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Mothers in the FA group had significantly higher state anxiety (STAI-S) (P < 0.001) and ZCBS scores (P < 0.001) compared to controls. However, trait anxiety (STAI-T) did not differ significantly between groups (P = 0.508). Additionally, mothers of children with FA reported lower EUROHIS-QOL scores (P = 0.009). Low maternal educational levels (P = 0.005) and middle-range income levels ($500-1000/month, P = 0.027) were significantly associated with higher anxiety and caregiver burden. Cow's milk protein allergy (CMPA) specifically increased trait anxiety (P = 0.035) and reduced mothers' quality of life (P = 0.003). No significant associations were found between anxiety or caregiver burden and anaphylaxis or other allergenic triggers.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Food allergy significantly elevates maternal anxiety and caregiving burden, and reduces quality of life, especially in CMPA cases. Sociodemographic factors exacerbate these effects, highlighting the need for comprehensive, multidimensional interventions. Psychological support and broader public awareness initiatives may help alleviate adverse outcomes and improve caregiver well-being.</p>","PeriodicalId":7536,"journal":{"name":"Allergologia et immunopathologia","volume":"53 5","pages":"53-61"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1000,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Allergologia et immunopathologia","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.15586/aei.v53i5.1370","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"2025/1/1 0:00:00","PubModel":"eCollection","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"ALLERGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0

Abstract

Objectives: Food allergy (FA) is a growing public health concern, imposing significant psychosocial burdens on families and necessitating strict allergen avoidance. The unpredictability of severe reactions is associated with increased anxiety, dietary restrictions, and reduced quality of life.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study including 77 mothers of children (0-12 years) with FA and 71 mothers of healthy children. Participants completed the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), Zarit Caregiver Burden Scale (ZCBS), and European Health Impact Scale (EUROHIS-QOL). Statistical analyses compared anxiety, caregiver burden, and quality of life between groups and explored sociodemographic factors.

Results: Mothers in the FA group had significantly higher state anxiety (STAI-S) (P < 0.001) and ZCBS scores (P < 0.001) compared to controls. However, trait anxiety (STAI-T) did not differ significantly between groups (P = 0.508). Additionally, mothers of children with FA reported lower EUROHIS-QOL scores (P = 0.009). Low maternal educational levels (P = 0.005) and middle-range income levels ($500-1000/month, P = 0.027) were significantly associated with higher anxiety and caregiver burden. Cow's milk protein allergy (CMPA) specifically increased trait anxiety (P = 0.035) and reduced mothers' quality of life (P = 0.003). No significant associations were found between anxiety or caregiver burden and anaphylaxis or other allergenic triggers.

Conclusion: Food allergy significantly elevates maternal anxiety and caregiving burden, and reduces quality of life, especially in CMPA cases. Sociodemographic factors exacerbate these effects, highlighting the need for comprehensive, multidimensional interventions. Psychological support and broader public awareness initiatives may help alleviate adverse outcomes and improve caregiver well-being.

生活在危险之中:探索儿童食物过敏对母亲的心理影响。
目的:食物过敏(FA)是一个日益严重的公共卫生问题,给家庭带来了重大的社会心理负担,需要严格避免过敏原。严重反应的不可预测性与焦虑增加、饮食限制和生活质量下降有关。方法:我们进行了一项横断面研究,包括77名患有FA的儿童(0-12岁)的母亲和71名健康儿童的母亲。参与者完成了Spielberger状态-特质焦虑量表(STAI)、Zarit照顾者负担量表(ZCBS)和欧洲健康影响量表(EUROHIS-QOL)。统计分析比较了各组之间的焦虑、照顾者负担和生活质量,并探讨了社会人口因素。结果:与对照组相比,FA组母亲的状态焦虑(STAI-S) (P < 0.001)和ZCBS评分(P < 0.001)显著高于对照组。而特质焦虑(STAI-T)两组间差异无统计学意义(P = 0.508)。此外,FA患儿的母亲报告的EUROHIS-QOL评分较低(P = 0.009)。低教育水平(P = 0.005)和中等收入水平(500-1000美元/月,P = 0.027)与较高的焦虑和照顾者负担显著相关。牛奶蛋白过敏(CMPA)显著增加了母亲的特质焦虑(P = 0.035),降低了母亲的生活质量(P = 0.003)。焦虑或照顾者负担与过敏反应或其他过敏性诱因之间未发现显著关联。结论:食物过敏显著增加产妇焦虑和照顾负担,降低生活质量,特别是在CMPA病例中。社会人口因素加剧了这些影响,强调需要采取全面、多方面的干预措施。心理支持和更广泛的公众意识倡议可能有助于减轻不良后果和改善照顾者的福祉。
本文章由计算机程序翻译,如有差异,请以英文原文为准。
求助全文
约1分钟内获得全文 求助全文
来源期刊
CiteScore
3.70
自引率
0.00%
发文量
131
审稿时长
6-12 weeks
期刊介绍: Founded in 1972 by Professor A. Oehling, Allergologia et Immunopathologia is a forum for those working in the field of pediatric asthma, allergy and immunology. Manuscripts related to clinical, epidemiological and experimental allergy and immunopathology related to childhood will be considered for publication. Allergologia et Immunopathologia is the official journal of the Spanish Society of Pediatric Allergy and Clinical Immunology (SEICAP) and also of the Latin American Society of Immunodeficiencies (LASID). It has and independent international Editorial Committee which submits received papers for peer-reviewing by international experts. The journal accepts original and review articles from all over the world, together with consensus statements from the aforementioned societies. Occasionally, the opinion of an expert on a burning topic is published in the "Point of View" section. Letters to the Editor on previously published papers are welcomed. Allergologia et Immunopathologia publishes 6 issues per year and is included in the major databases such as Pubmed, Scopus, Web of Knowledge, etc.
×
引用
GB/T 7714-2015
复制
MLA
复制
APA
复制
导出至
BibTeX EndNote RefMan NoteFirst NoteExpress
×
提示
您的信息不完整,为了账户安全,请先补充。
现在去补充
×
提示
您因"违规操作"
具体请查看互助需知
我知道了
×
提示
确定
请完成安全验证×
copy
已复制链接
快去分享给好友吧!
我知道了
右上角分享
点击右上角分享
0
联系我们:info@booksci.cn Book学术提供免费学术资源搜索服务,方便国内外学者检索中英文文献。致力于提供最便捷和优质的服务体验。 Copyright © 2023 布克学术 All rights reserved.
京ICP备2023020795号-1
ghs 京公网安备 11010802042870号
Book学术文献互助
Book学术文献互助群
群 号:604180095
Book学术官方微信