title: Evaluating a handbook for parents of children with food allergy: a randomized clinical trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Educational materials are needed to support parent management of and coping with childhood food allergy.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate whether a food allergy handbook can improve parental knowledge, confidence, and quality of life associated with the management of food allergy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants included 153 parents of children diagnosed as having food allergy within the past 12 months who were recruited from hospital-based allergy clinics and food allergy organizations. Parents were randomly assigned to receive the food allergy handbook either after a baseline survey (handbook group) or at the conclusion of study participation (control group). Outcomes were assessed using online surveys at baseline, 2-week follow-up, and 2-month follow-up.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with parents in the control group, parents in the handbook group had significantly greater improvement in knowledge at the 2-week (mean difference, 2.92; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.20-3.64; P < .001) and 2-month (mean difference, 2.46; 95% CI, 1.68-3.25; P < .001) follow-ups, significantly greater improvement in confidence at the 2-week (mean difference, 0.24; 95% CI, 0.09-0.39; P = .002) and 2-month (mean difference, 0.47; 95% CI, 0.30-0.63; P < .001) follow-ups, and significantly greater improvement in quality of life at the 2-month follow-up (mean difference, -0.48; 95% CI, -0.79 to -0.16; P = .004). Parents reported satisfaction with the content the handbook, with mean ratings of individual sections ranging from 2.7 to 3.2 on a 0- to 4-point scale and modal ratings of 3 (very useful).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The food allergy handbook evaluated in this study is an effective parent resource to supplement physician management of food allergy.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT01914978.
authors: Division of Immunology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts. Electronic address: jennifer.lebovidge@childrens.harvard.edu.
authors: Jennifer S
authors: JS
authors: LeBovidge
authors: Division of Immunology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors: Alexis
authors: A
authors: Michaud
authors: Division of Immunology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors: Ashley
authors: A
authors: Deleon
authors: Food Allergy Canada, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors: Laurie
authors: L
authors: Harada
authors: Division of Clinical Immunology & Allergy, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
authors: Susan
authors: S
authors: Waserman
authors: Division of Immunology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors: Lynda
authors: L
authors: Schneider
mesh_terms: D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005512:Food Hypersensitivity / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013664:Teaching Materials
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens