title: The perception of allergen-specific immunotherapy among pediatricians in the primary care setting.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Allergic respiratory diseases are constantly increasing in prevalence. Allergen Immunotherapy (AIT) represent a valuable therapeutic tool as symptomatic and preventative approach, expecially in children. In Italy, primary care pediatricians (PCP) represent the first-line contact and interface for prescription, use and management of AIT. We attempted to evaluate the perception of AIT practice among PCP.
  
  
  METHODS
  A questionnaire was built-up, based on literature, guidelines and with the contribution of pediatricians. The questionnaire, including 12 items, was e-mailed to 180 PCP, randomly chosen from mailing lists. The questionnaire explored the personal perception of AIT, the comparison between subcutaneous and sublingual AIT and the overall awareness about the treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  130 questionnaires were eligible for analysis. There was a satisfactory knowledge of the characteristics of AIT, its aims and limits, although the positioning of the treatment in guidelines was insufficiently known. Overall, the prescription of AIT made by other specialists was accepted and agreed (78 %). The majority of pediatricians felt that a more intense divulgation and information about AIT would be needed (90 %).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  AIT is in general well known and accepted among PCP, although a more intense divulgation effort is required.
authors.affiliation: Italian Federation of Pediatric Primary Care, Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Landi
authors.affiliation: Italian Federation of Pediatric Primary Care, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Meglio
authors.affiliation: Italian Federation of Pediatric Primary Care, Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Ermanno
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Praitano
authors.affiliation: Allergy Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, Sant'Orsola-Poliambulanza Hospital, Brescia, Italy.
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lombardi
authors.affiliation: Allergy and Respiratory Diseases, DIMI, IRCCS San Martino Hospital-IST-University of Genoa, Pad.Maragliano, L.go R Benzi 10, 16133 Genoa, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Passalacqua
authors.affiliation: Allergy and Respiratory Diseases, DIMI, IRCCS San Martino Hospital-IST-University of Genoa, Pad.Maragliano, L.go R Benzi 10, 16133 Genoa, Italy.
authors.forename: Giorgio Walter
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Canonica
keywords: Allergen immunotherapy; Allergic respiratory disease; Children; Primary care pediatrician