Transfer of Responsibility for Auto-Injectable Epinephrine Devices from Parents to Children and Adolescents with Food Allergies

Epinephrine auto-injectors are routinely prescribed for patients at risk of anaphylaxis, including children and adolescents with food allergies. This study sought to identify factors that impact the age at which parents transfer responsibility for carrying auto-injectable epinephrine devices to their children. In addition, this study sought to determine whether various stages of shared responsibility for carrying auto-injectable epinephrine devices are associated with adverse outcomes like anaphylaxis, emergency room visits, parental anxiety, and patient anxiety. Data was collected using a 32-question Qualtrics survey and participants were recruited via Amazon Mechanical Turk. Demographic variables like income, stock epinephrine availability, and a self-reported diagnosis of a developmental delay, anxiety disorder, or depressive disorder were found to correlate with the expected ages at which children would assume greater levels of responsibility. The lowest reported rates of anaphylaxis and ER visits due to allergic reactions occurred among children who shared responsibility with their parents.