Journals Information
Universal Journal of Public Health Vol. 3(6), pp. 234 - 240
DOI: 10.13189/ujph.2015.030602
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What are We Waiting for, Another Child to Die? A Qualitative Analysis of Regulatory School Environments for Food Allergic Children
Susan J Elliott 1,*, Nancy Fenton 2, C-L Joanna Sinn 2, Ann Clarke 3
1 Department of Geography & Environmental Management, University of Waterloo, Canada
2 School of Public Health and Health Systems, University of Waterloo, Canada
3 Department of Medicine, University of Calgary, Canada
ABSTRACT
Severe food allergy, or anaphylaxis, is an immediate and severe allergic reaction that may cause difficulty breathing, hypotension, unconsciousness, and even death. Given there is no cure, managing life-threatening reactions is limited to strict avoidance of implicated foods and provision of medication for symptomatic treatment of an adverse reaction. A key piece of this management is the regulatory frameworks used in public spaces such as schools. This paper explores the perceptions and experiences of 'school' as a safe place for students with anaphylaxis and their parents in two Canadian provinces with very different regulatory environments in order to assess the impact of alternative regulatory environments on the quality of life of affected individuals. A qualitative research design involving draw-and-tell exercises along with in-depth interviews with elementary school-aged children (n=45) and their parents in the provinces of Ontario and Quebec, Canada was used. Results indicate that these very different regulatory environments had differing impacts on kids and parents. Ontario parents found security in the Ontario legislation, while the heterogeneity of the Quebec school regulatory environments resulted in reported stress and anxiety among the parents interviewed. The kids themselves just wanted to feel normal and not be teased or bullied.
KEYWORDS
Anaphylaxis, School Environment, Regulatory Frameworks, Qualitative Analysis, Canada
Cite This Paper in IEEE or APA Citation Styles
(a). IEEE Format:
[1] Susan J Elliott , Nancy Fenton , C-L Joanna Sinn , Ann Clarke , "What are We Waiting for, Another Child to Die? A Qualitative Analysis of Regulatory School Environments for Food Allergic Children," Universal Journal of Public Health, Vol. 3, No. 6, pp. 234 - 240, 2015. DOI: 10.13189/ujph.2015.030602.
(b). APA Format:
Susan J Elliott , Nancy Fenton , C-L Joanna Sinn , Ann Clarke (2015). What are We Waiting for, Another Child to Die? A Qualitative Analysis of Regulatory School Environments for Food Allergic Children. Universal Journal of Public Health, 3(6), 234 - 240. DOI: 10.13189/ujph.2015.030602.