Multidisciplinary Education Improves School Personnel’s Self-Efficacy in Managing Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis

This study evaluates the impact of a multidisciplinary training course on the self-efficacy of teachers and caretakers in management of food allergy (FA) and anaphylaxis at school.

592 Italian teachers and school caretakers volunteered to attend this free course. Caretakers help supervise children during breaks and mealtimes. Most participants were female teachers. Almost three quarters of participants worked in nursery and primary school.

This 2-hour multidisciplinary training course was conducted by an allergist, a psychologist, and a lawyer. It focused on the practical management of FA and anaphylaxis, psychosocial issues involved in FA, and regulations of medication administration in the school setting. Each participant was able to practice with an adrenaline-autoinjector training device. Participants anonymously completed the previously validated School Personnel Self-Efficacy-Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Questionnaire (S.PER.SE-FAAQ) before and after the course, and the difference in scores was analyzed using a conditional regression tree. Participants rated their perceived competence regarding various goals for students with FA such as establishing a safe school setting and managing allergic reactions. Answers ranged on a scale from 1 (“cannot do at all”) to 5 (“highly certain can do”), with a maximum score of 40.

Baseline scores were lowest for self-efficacy in recognizing anaphylaxis and administering medications to a student having an acute reaction. There was a statistically significant improvement in self-efficacy scores in managing a student at risk for allergic reactions, putting in place a personalized care plan, recognizing anaphylaxis, and administering medication during a reaction, with an average increase of 1 point. Those with lower pretraining scores (<17) had the highest increase in their post-training scores. For those with moderate baseline scores (between 17 and 27), higher post-training scores were associated with age less than 33 years and being a teacher. High scoring participants at baseline (>29–30) were more likely to have a greater difference in scores if they had not had previous information on anaphylaxis.

A multidisciplinary training course can improve self-efficacy in managing students with food allergyFA and anaphylaxis.

This study highlights the potential of multidisciplinary anaphylaxis and FA education for teachers and school caretakers to improve self-efficacy in management of FA and anaphylaxis in the school setting. Further research is needed to understand if changes in self-efficacy are durable and whether improved self-efficacy translates into improved competence and outcomes in these areas.