The context of food allergy management for latino children: identifying drivers of health disparities

Rhode Island Hospital received a $464,615 Project Grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) under the Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.855), awarded September 5, 2025, with completion targeted for August 31, 2027. The project, titled "The Context of Food Allergy Management for Latino Children: Identifying Drivers of Health Disparities," addresses documented health disparities in pediatric food allergy management among Latino populations, who experience higher rates of anaphylaxis and emergency department utilization compared to non-Latino white children. The research employs a mixed-methods approach to identify multilevel facilitators and barriers to food allergy management within Latino families in Greater Providence, Rhode Island.

The project delivers three primary research products through two complementary research aims. Aim 1 applies Geographic Information Systems (GIS) analysis to map contextual and environmental factors associated with food allergy management, including spatial patterning of food allergy-related emergency department use to identify geographic "hot spots" (Aim 1A) and development of Community Assessment Profiles—detailed community-specific overview documents integrating visual maps and quantitative data on retail food environments, specialty care access, school policies, and food allergy-related emergency department utilization (Aim 1B). Aim 2 employs qualitative research methods, including focus groups with Latino caregivers of children with food allergies and key informant interviews, to identify barriers related to food access, specialty care availability, home and school management practices, and cultural considerations affecting food avoidance and purchasing behaviors. Brown University serves as a sub-awardee on this project as of January 9, 2026, contributing collaborative research capacity to the initiative.

Abstract

Pediatric food allergy (FA) is estimated to affect ~8% of children in the united states (US), with evidence of increased prevalence. Pediatric FAS disproportionately affect children of color. Latino children have increasing prevalence relative to other demographic groups, and higher rates of anaphylaxis and emergency department (ED) use relative to non-latino white children. To date, limited research has evaluated facilitators and barriers to FA management specific to latino families. The proposed mixed-methods study will identify multi-level facilitators and barriers to FA management among latino families to guide future intervention efforts. We will focus on community engagement and integrate community input throughout the project. In aim 1 we will use geographic information systems (GIS) to evaluate the contextual and environmental factors associated with FA management among latino children aged 0-12 in greater providence, RI. We will examine spatial patterning (aim 1A) of FA-related ED use for latino children to identify "hot spots" and differences within and across communities. We will develop preliminary community assessment profiles (caps; aim 1B), community-specific overview documents incorporating multi-method data (visual maps, quantitative data) that will provide rich detail about the retail food environment, specialist access and practice patterns, school policies, and FA-related ED use. In aim 2 we will use qualitative methods to identify barriers to FA management related to food access, specialty care, and home and school management for latino families. We will conduct focus groups with latino caregivers of children with FA to probe areas such as food avoidance and purchasing habits consistent with cultural traditions, health system and epinephrine access, and perceptions of school safety. We will also conduct key informant interviews with physicians, school nurses, policy makers and community leaders to probe barriers and facilitators to FA management. In aim 3 we will review and interpret data from aims 1 and 2 in collaboration with our FA community advisory board (FA-CAB) to inform future intervention development to promote guidelines-based FA management for latino children in communities, health care settings, and schools (aim 3A). We will CO-create and implement a dissemination plan (aim 3B) with our FA-CAB to share findings with community partners to foster engagement in intervention development and policy change to promote health equity for latino children with FA.