Hörold Madlen, Gerhardinger Katharina, König Mara, Rohr Magdalena, Weigt Julia, Apfelbacher Christian, Brandstetter Susanne
Institute of Social Medicine and Health Systems Research, Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg Medical Faculty, Magdeburg, Germany
University Children's Hospital Regensburg (KUNO), Hospital St. Hedwig of the Order of St. John, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany.
BMJ Open. 2024 Dec 12;14(12):e089751. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2024-089751.
Childhood food allergy is increasing in western societies. Preventing and managing food allergies is therefore essential for both parents and children. Given the limited previous research on parents' experiences of food allergy prevention in early childhood, this study aimed to develop a grounded theory to understand the experiences and interactions of families whose children are at risk of, or have been diagnosed with, food allergy.
Using a constructivist grounded theory approach, we used initial, focused and theoretical coding, as well as constant comparative analysis and memoing to interpret our data.
Thematic interviews were conducted in Germany between March and September 2022.
We included 28 carers (25 mothers and 3 fathers) of children aged 0-3 years diagnosed with food allergy or at risk of food allergy. We recruited participants using snowball and theoretical sampling.
We developed a theory that we named 'negotiating uncertainty in childhood food allergy'. This theory describes the experiences and interactions of families with a child at risk or diagnosed with food allergy with the central phenomena of negotiation uncertainty. Negotiation is used to transform perceived challenges of uncertainty into feelings of competence in relation to (the prevention of) food allergy. Core themes included 'parental roles', 'healthcare', 'childcare', 'informal support' and 'family routines'. To cope with the challenges, parents relied on two main resources: self-efficacy and health literacy.
The study highlights the dynamic process of negotiation within families at risk of or coping with paediatric food allergy. Furthermore, our findings highlight the need to promote parental health literacy.
在西方社会，儿童食物过敏现象日益增多。因此，预防和管理食物过敏对家长和孩子来说都至关重要。鉴于此前关于家长在幼儿期预防食物过敏经历的研究有限，本研究旨在构建一个扎根理论，以了解其子女有食物过敏风险或已被诊断为食物过敏的家庭的经历和互动情况。
我们采用建构主义扎根理论方法，运用初始编码、聚焦编码和理论编码，以及持续比较分析和撰写备忘录来解读数据。
2022年3月至9月期间在德国进行了主题访谈。
我们纳入了28名0至3岁被诊断为食物过敏或有食物过敏风险儿童的照料者（25名母亲和3名父亲）。我们采用滚雪球抽样和理论抽样的方法招募参与者。
我们构建了一个名为“应对儿童食物过敏中的不确定性”的理论。该理论描述了子女有食物过敏风险或已被诊断为食物过敏的家庭的经历和互动情况，核心现象是应对不确定性。协商被用于将感知到的不确定性挑战转化为与（预防）食物过敏相关的能力感。核心主题包括“父母角色”“医疗保健”“儿童保育”“非正式支持”和“家庭日常”。为应对这些挑战，父母主要依靠两种资源：自我效能感和健康素养。
该研究突出了有儿童食物过敏风险或正在应对儿童食物过敏的家庭内部的动态协商过程。此外，我们的研究结果强调了提高家长健康素养的必要性。
