title: A brief intervention to improve food allergy knowledge among US pediatricians: lessons learned.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate a brief educational tool for pediatricians developed to address known gaps in food allergy knowledge.
  
  
  METHODS
  Pre- and post-assessments were administered to a convenience sample of 61 US pediatricians completing the Food Allergy Comprehension Tool between February and March of 2010. McNemar's and Wilcoxon signed rank tests were used to determine whether clinical knowledge of food allergy and level of comfort in caring for food-allergic children increased significantly after reviewing the tool. Logistic regression models were used to measure the association of participant characteristics with increased knowledge and comfort.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sixty-one percent of surveyed physicians answered more knowledge questions correctly after reviewing the tool. Significantly more participants correctly indicated that anaphylaxis poses the greatest threat to teenagers rather than young children, and correctly rejected chronic nasal problems as a symptom of food allergy (p < 0.05). Comfort in caring for food-allergic children increased significantly on all items post-intervention (p < 0.05). Odds of increased knowledge and comfort were significantly higher among pediatricians without previous training in food allergy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The Food Allergy Comprehension Tool is a rapid way to address known knowledge gaps among pediatricians and to identify areas in need of further intervention. We recommend integration of the tool with current food allergy guidelines.
authors: The Institute for Healthcare Studies, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA.
authors: Elizabeth E
authors: EE
authors: Springston
authors: Claudia H
authors: CH
authors: Lau
authors: Parav
authors: P
authors: Patel
authors: Manoj R
authors: MR
authors: Warrier
authors: Min-Woong
authors: MW
authors: Sohn
authors: Jacqueline
authors: J
authors: Pongracic
authors: Ruchi S
authors: RS
authors: Gupta
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002983:Clinical Competence; D004502:Education, Medical, Continuing / Q000379:methods*; D004837:Epinephrine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005512:Food Hypersensitivity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D010372:Pediatrics; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D014481:United States; D000078329:Workforce
chemical_list: D004837:Epinephrine