title: Health sector costs of self-reported food allergy in Europe: a patient-based cost of illness study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Food allergy is a recognized health problem, but little has been reported on its cost for health services. The EuroPrevall project was a European study investigating the patterns, prevalence and socio-economic cost of food allergy.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the health service cost for food-allergic Europeans and the relationship between severity and cost of illness.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants recruited through EuroPrevall studies in a case-control study in four countries, and cases only in five countries, completed a validated economics questionnaire. Individuals with possible food allergy were identified by clinical history, and those with food-specific immunoglobulin E were defined as having probable allergy. Data on resource use were used to estimate total health care costs of illness. Mean costs were compared in the case-control cohorts. Regression analysis was conducted on cases from all 9 countries to assess impact of country, severity and age group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Food-allergic individuals had higher health care costs than controls. The mean annual cost of health care was international dollars (I$)2016 for food-allergic adults and I$1089 for controls, a difference of I$927 (95% confidence interval I$324-I$1530). A similar result was found for adults in each country, and for children, and was not sensitive to baseline demographic differences. Cost was significantly related to severity of illness in cases in nine countries.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Food allergy is associated with higher health care costs. Severity of allergic symptoms is a key explanatory factor.
authors: 1 School of Allied Health Professions, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK.
authors: Margaret
authors: M
authors: Fox
authors: Miranda
authors: M
authors: Mugford
authors: Jantine
authors: J
authors: Voordouw
authors: Judith
authors: J
authors: Cornelisse-Vermaat
authors: Gerrit
authors: G
authors: Antonides
authors: Belen
authors: B
authors: de la Hoz Caballer
authors: Inma
authors: I
authors: Cerecedo
authors: Javier
authors: J
authors: Zamora
authors: Ewa
authors: E
authors: Rokicka
authors: Maciej
authors: M
authors: Jewczak
authors: Allan B
authors: AB
authors: Clark
authors: Marek L
authors: ML
authors: Kowalski
authors: Nikos
authors: N
authors: Papadopoulos
authors: Anna C
authors: AC
authors: Knulst
authors: Suranjith
authors: S
authors: Seneviratne
authors: Simona
authors: S
authors: Belohlavkova
authors: Roberto
authors: R
authors: Asero
authors: Frederic
authors: F
authors: de Blay
authors: Ashok
authors: A
authors: Purohit
authors: Michael
authors: M
authors: Clausen
authors: Bertine
authors: B
authors: Flokstra de Blok
authors: Anthony E
authors: AE
authors: Dubois
authors: Montserrat
authors: M
authors: Fernandez-Rivas
authors: Peter
authors: P
authors: Burney
authors: Lynn J
authors: LJ
authors: Frewer
authors: Clare E N
authors: CE
authors: Mills
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D017281:Cost of Illness; D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005512:Food Hypersensitivity / Q000191:economics*; D017048:Health Care Costs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005102:Health Expenditures; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000009:adverse effects; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011634:Public Health / Q000191:economics*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D057566:Self Report; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D007073:Immunoglobulin E