Main themes emerging from focus group interviews
| Support | Confirming diagnosis | Information about treatment | Seeing healthcare professionals | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Group 1, n=6 Children* (8–11 years) | Concern about lack of support from others and school | Problem: Children know they have allergy–access to testing and ‘just avoid message’ are a problem. | Good information about the allergy, but not about the allergy treatment | Communication needs to be child friendly with good explanation; make sure children know what is happening. Being listened to. |
| Group 2, n=7 Parents of children* (8–15 years) | More support after diagnosis Access to support groups | Problem: referral time | Children not always told about treatment directly, leaving parents to do it | Healthcare staff lack information about child's allergy (particularly GPs and A&E staff). |
| Group 3, n=4 Young adults* (15–21 years) | Support in/from school | Problem: referral time, time until tested and getting a diagnosis | Lack of information in general, length of time to test Need information about cause and more about treatment | Time to referral and lack of knowledge by some healthcare professionals. |
*Allergic comorbidities: asthma, allergic rhinitis, eczema, food allergies, mastocytosis; often one or more allergic conditions.
A&E, Accident & Emergency; GP, general practitioner.