ERIC Number: EJ1325331
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2022-Feb
Pages: 9
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0022-4391
EISSN: N/A
A Qualitative Investigation of Parent and Child Perceptions of School Food Allergy Policies in the United States
Vollmer, Rachel L.; Girsch, Virginia; Foster, Jaime S.
Journal of School Health, v92 n2 p185-193 Feb 2022
Background: Many schools implement well-intentioned food allergy policies; however, may not ease parents'/children's worry and concern. The purpose of this study was to (1) explore children's and parents' perceptions their school's food allergy policy and (2) compare these perceptions to the documented school policy. Methods: Children ages 8 to 18 with a food allergy and their parents (N = 18 pairs) across the US completed one-on-one semi-structured, audio-recorded phone interviews. School food allergy policies were collected from school websites. Content analysis was applied to the transcriptions by two investigators to identify themes among parents and children. Results: Parents and children described policies may impact the child's social and/or emotional well-being. Many opportunities for improvement were provided by parents and children. There is a wide variation in food allergy policies across the schools in this study, and overall, parents and children thought that policy enforcement needs to be improved. Conclusions: With so much variation in food allergy policies in schools coupled with inconsistent enforcement, parents and children may feel unsafe or unsupported by the school. Schools should adopt a team- or whole-school approach to develop and enforce policies that help protect children with food allergies.
Descriptors: Parent Attitudes, Childrens Attitudes, School Policy, Allergy, Food, Well Being, School Safety
Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2191/en-us
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A