Researching Sex and Gender in Food Allergy : An Integrative Framework

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Researching Sex and Gender in Food Allergy An
Integrative Framework

• Audrey DunnGalvin Jonathan OB.Hourihane Ineke
  Klinge.

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Gaps in sex/gender research on food allergy.
- Biological vulnerability - Exposure to health
risks - Perception of symptoms - Evaluation of
risk - Information processing - Role
expectations
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How Practical Examples ?

• Gender and sex routinely identified in sampling
• Agreed Terminology
• Stratification by sex and age
• Interdisciplinary and integrative research
• Methodology
• Shared knowledge
• Support Systems
• Policy and research links
• Training
• Database

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Mechanisms that underpin sex/gender differences
in health

• A bi-directional relationship
• Are experience dependent
• Are multi-determined

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An Integrative Framework ?

• Health as a dynamic, multifactorial phenomenon
  that influences physical, psychological and
  social functioning.
• Developing systems interact, react with, and
  programme one another.
• Promotes interdisciplinary research

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Developmental Trajectories

• Critical or sensitive periods are those stages of
  functional development when a regulatory pathway
  is being constructed or modified.
• The developing child/adolescent is particularly
  sensitive to favourable or unfavourable
  environmental factors.

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The complex interaction between nature and nurture

• Research on adolescents shows that girls,
  compared to boys, are at an increased risk for
  psychological disturbance, including
  internalising behaviour problems
• and poorer self-concept
• during the transition phase
• from childhood to adolescence.

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Focus Groups with children aged 6-12 years.
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• Living with a food allergy An exploration of
  childrens views and experiences.
• Gender differences in coping strategies were
  particularly pronounced for children gt8 years.
• Girls have high levels of anxiety and adopt
  avoidant behaviour
• Boys tend to become defiant, use minimisation as
  a coping strategy and adopt risky behaviours.

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A critical point in development.

• We identified a critical point in the food
  allergy specific developmental trajectory occurs
  when children learn or feel that they cannot
  prevent a reaction from occurring.
• Direct and indirect effects on emotional
  adjustment, coping strategies, risk and safety,
  symptom perception, and overall QoL.

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Future Research

• Integrative longitudinal studies examining life
  course effects.
• Data collected during biological, psychological
  and social transitions.
• Describe the specific bio-behavioural pathways
  that link social context with health outcomes for
  both men and women.