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Table 2 Mean scores for individual questions used to calculate domain-specific HRQL

From: Impaired health-related quality of life in adolescents with allergy to staple foods

 

Mean

p value

Allergen avoidance and dietary restrictions

 How troublesome do you find it, because of your food allergy, that you:

  Must check yourself whether you can eat something when eating out?

5.76

 

  Must read labels?

5.74

0.95

  Hesitate eating a product when you have doubts about it?

5.67

0.75

  Must always be alert to what you are eating?

5.66

0.70

  Are less able to taste or try various products when eating out?

5.36

0.15

  Are able to eat fewer products?

5.21

<0.05

  Are limited as to the products that you can buy?

4.47

<0.001

  Are less able to spontaneously accept an invitation to stay for a meal?

4.09

<0.001

  Must be careful about touching certain foods?

3.47

<0.001

  Must refuse treats at school or work?

2.58

<0.001

Emotional impact

 Answer the following:

  How disappointed are you when people don’t take your food allergy into account?

5.50

 

  How discouraged do you feel during an allergic reaction?

4.74

<0.05

 How troublesome do you find it, because of your food allergy, that you:

  Have the feeling that you have less control of what you eat when eating out?

5.40

0.86

  Must carry an EpiPen®?

4.36

<0.01

 How frightened are you because of your food allergy:

  Of accidentally eating something wrong?

4.59

<0.05

  Of an allergic reaction?

4.53

<0.05

  To eat something that you have never eaten before?

4.31

<0.05

Risk of accidental exposure

 How troublesome do you find it, because of your food allergy, that you:

  That you have to explain to people around you that you have a food allergy?

5.00

 

  That during social activities others can eat the food to which you are allergic?

4.95

0.88

  That during social activities your food allergy is not taken into account enough?

4.47

0.17

  That the ingredients of a food change?

4.45

0.10

  That the label states: “May contain (traces of)….”?

4.43

0.15

  That the labelling of the bulk packaging (e.g. box or bag) is different than the individual packages?

3.27

<0.001

  1. FAQLQ-TF on a scale of 1–7, where 1 corresponds to best HRQL and 7 corresponds to worst HRQL; based on self-report
  2. Compared to the individual question with the highest mean score (i.e. worst HRQL) within each domain