Objective

The economic burden of food allergy on households is poorly understood. We evaluated the household costs associated with specialist-diagnosed pediatric food allergy, with focus on age and disease severity.

Study design

A cross-sectional study of 70 Swedish case-control pairs (59% boys) was conducted using Food Allergy Economic questionnaire. Household costs were analyzed between age- and gender-matched cases (children aged 0–17 years, with specialist-diagnosed food allergy) and controls (non-food allergic households).

Results

Parents were predominantly university-educated and employed full-time. Most cases had parent-reported previous anaphylaxis. Mean total annual household costs were comparable between cases and controls. However, compared to controls, cases had significantly higher direct medical-, and non-medical related costs; higher indirect medical-related costs, and higher intangible costs (all p < 0.05). In a sensitivity analyses of only cases aged 0–12 years, direct household costs, including lost earnings due to child's hospitalization, were significantly higher than controls. Results from only children with severe disease paralleled those of all cases vs. controls.

Conclusions

Although pediatric food allergy is not associated with higher total annual household costs, these households have significantly higher direct medical-related, indirect and intangible costs vs. non-food allergic households. Higher household costs were identified amongst younger children, but not disease severity.