Socioeconomic factors and epinephrine prescription in children with peanut allergy.
BACKGROUND
Epinephrine autoinjectors provide life-saving therapy for individuals with peanut allergies.  OJECTIVE: To evaluate the association between socioeconomic status (SES) and epinephrine prescription among urban Canadian children with peanut allergy.


METHODS
Population-based survey data from school children in grades 1 and 2 participating in the Toronto Child Health Evaluation Questionnaire were used. Children with peanut allergy, their epinephrine autoinjector prescription status and their SES were identified by parental report.


RESULTS
Between January and April 2006, 5619 completed questionnaires from 231 Toronto, Ontario, schools were returned. A total of 153 (2.83%) children were identified as having a peanut allergy, 68.6% of whom reported being prescribed an epinephrine autoinjector. Children from upper-middle and high-income homes (OR 8.35 [95% CI 2.72 to 25.61]) and with asthma (OR 4.74 [95% CI 1.56 to 14.47]) were more likely to report having an epinephrine prescription.


CONCLUSIONS
A significant health disparity exists in the prescribing pattern of epinephrine autoinjectors for peanut-allergic children from families of differing SES.
Child Health Evaluative Sciences, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto;
Robin
R
Coombs
Elinor
E
Simons
Richard G
RG
Foty
David M
DM
Stieb
Sharon D
SD
Dell