Background: Correct use of the Epinephrine auto-injector is essential in order to prevent death from anaphylaxis. The aim of this study was to explore the knowledge and factors that influence caregiver`s use of the Epinephrine among children with food allergy.
Methods: The study population comprised 128 children with known food allergy. Each caregiver was interviewed by a trained physician who completed a computer-based questionnaire. The clinical indications and the operation of the Epinephrine auto-injector were assessed and scored.
Results: 128 maternal care givers and 52 paternal care givers participated in the study. The maternal caregiver Epinephrine auto-injector usage and indication competency scores were significantly higher than the paternal caregiver scores, (69±30.7 versus 56.57±35.55, p=0.01, 86.15±16.03 versus 80±17.54, p=0.03, respectively). Forty-two percent of the maternal caregivers demonstrated proficiency of the Epinephrine manual usage, 20% had a functional Epinephrine using, and 37.5% of the maternal care givers had a minimal knowledge which didn’t allow them to operate the Epinephrine device functionally. A statistically negative correlation was found between the maternal caregivers Epinephrine usage score and the date of their last visit at the allergy clinic (r=-0.66, p≤0.01). The mothers of those children who experienced an anaphylactic event in the past had a significantly higher Epinephrine usage score compared to mothers of children who didn`t experienced such an event (15/26 vs. 28/78, p= 0.04).
Conclusions: The optimal use of Epinephrine auto-injector is related to the time that elapsed from a patient`s last allergy clinic visit.
