The self-management work of food hypersensitivity

• Published in: PloS one 2021-03, Vol.16 (3), p.e0248181-e0248181
• Main Authors: Jakobsen, Monika Dybdahl, Obstfelder, Aud, Braaten, Tonje, Abelsen, Birgit
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Allergies; Analysis; Arctic research; Asthma; Autoimmune diseases; Biology and Life Sciences; Care and treatment; Celiac disease; Community medicine, Social medicine: 801; Data collection; Editing; Food; Food allergies; Food allergy; Food hypersensitivity; Food intolerance; Health behavior; Health sciences: 800; Helsefag: 800; Hypersensitivity; Interviews; Intestine; Irritable bowel syndrome; Lactose; Medical disciplines: 700; Medicine; Medicine and Health Sciences; Medisinske Fag: 700; Methodology; Physical Sciences; Polar environments; Psychological aspects; Qualitative analysis; Reviews; Samfunnsmedisin, sosialmedisin: 801; Science and technology; Self-care, Health; VDP; Womens health; Workloads
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0248181

Food hypersensitivity (FH) has received considerable attention in the scientific community in recent years. However, little attention has been given to the efforts people make to manage their FH. We aimed to explore these efforts by using Normalization Process Theory, which is a conceptual framework formerly used to describe the self-management 'work' of long-term conditions. We carried out qualitative individual interviews with 16 women with FH. Transcripts from recorded interviews were analyzed using template analysis. 16 women participated; some had diagnoses from conventional medicine (celiac disease, lactose intolerance, food allergies, irritable bowel syndrome) and some did not. Participants described carrying out several tasks, some of which were time-consuming, to manage their FH. Women who had clarified once and for all what food(s) caused symptoms, described that they could concentrate on carrying out a restricted diet, which could become routine. Conversely, participants who had not achieved such clarification described carrying out tasks to identify what food(s) caused symptoms, and to implement and evaluate a tentative diet. Participants' descriptions also revealed a heightened vigilance when they ate food that others had prepared, and some made efforts to conceal their FH. Self-management of FH may, like the self-management of other long-term conditions, imply a large workload and burden of treatment. Efforts made to conceal FH may be considered part of this workload, while help in clarifying which food(s) cause symptoms has the potential to reduce the workload.