Health-related quality of life in food-allergic adults from eight European countries

Background: Food allergy can impair health-related quality of life (HRQL). Food Allergy Quality of Life Questionnaires (FAQLQs) have been developed and validated, including an adult form (FAQLQ-AF). HRQL has not, to date, been measured across different European countries using a uniform methodology....

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology
Main Authors: Goossens, Nicole J., Flokstra-de Blok, Bertine M. J., van der Meulen, Gerbrich N., Arnlind, Marianne H., Asero, Ricardo, Barreales, Laura, Burney, Peter, Cerecedo, Imnaculada, Clausen, Michael, Fernandez-Rivas, Monteserrat, Frewer, Lynn, de la Hoz Caballer, Belen, Jansson, Sven-Arne, Jedrzejczak-Czechowicz, Monica, Knulst, Andre C., Kowalski, Marek L., Papadopoulos, Nikos G., Purohit, Ashok, Rokicka, Ewa, Starosta, Pawel, Vasquez-Cortes, Sonia, Duiverman, Eric J., Dubois, Anthony E. J.
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: 2014
Subjects:
UK
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/11370/801853b0-713f-427b-bc79-66ceee77f26a
https://research.rug.nl/en/publications/801853b0-713f-427b-bc79-66ceee77f26a
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anai.2014.04.004
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Summary:Background: Food allergy can impair health-related quality of life (HRQL). Food Allergy Quality of Life Questionnaires (FAQLQs) have been developed and validated, including an adult form (FAQLQ-AF). HRQL has not, to date, been measured across different European countries using a uniform methodology. Objective: To translate and validate the FAQLQ-AF for use in 8 European countries (Iceland, The Netherlands, Poland, France, Spain, Italy, Greece, and Sweden). Methods: The English FAQLQ-AF was translated, back-translated, and compared for use in the 8 relevant European languages. Adults with a perceived food allergywere recruited from outpatient departments and through a community survey. Participants completed the FAQLQ-AF, the Food Allergy Independent Measure, and questions concerning participants' characteristics. Validity of the FAQLQ-AF was analyzed for use in the 8 countries. Results: The FAQLQ-AF had strong construct validity (r > 0.59) and an excellent internal consistency (Cronbach alpha> 0.95) inallcountries. Total FAQLQ-AFscores (range3.2-5.0) were significantly different across participating countries. Conclusion: The FAQLQ-AF is a suitable and valid instrument for measuring HRQL in food-allergic adults in Iceland, The Netherlands, Poland, France, Spain, Italy, Greece, and Sweden. The impact of food allergy on HRQL seems to differ among adults from the 8 participating European countries. (C) 2014 American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.