Allergic children in lower income families go without adrenaline autoinjectors

Research has shown there are significant differences in the prescribing pattern of adrenaline autoinjectors for peanut–allergic children from families of differing socioeconomic status in Canada.

A population-based survey was carried out in urban Canada in 2006. Over 5,500 questionnaires were completed and returned from 231 schools in Toronto and Ontario. Parents of children in grades 1 and 2 were asked to fill in questions about their socioeconomic status, their child's peanut allergy status and adrenaline autoinjector prescription status.

Almost 3% of children were identified as having a peanut allergy, and almost 70% of them had reportedly been prescribed an adrenaline autoinjector. Children from upper-middle and high-income homes and with asthma were more likely to report having an adrenaline prescription.

Reference: Coombs et al. 2011. Paediatrics & Child Health Vol. 16(6) pp. 341-344