Research Priorities for Children With Food Allergy: A UK James Lind Alliance Priority Setting Partnership

Using the James Lind Alliance (JLA) methodology, we established a Priority Setting Partnership (PSP) to identify the most important unanswered research questions in childhood food allergy. This approach places those directly affected, those with food allergy, their parents/carers, and healthcare professionals at the centre of the process.

A multidisciplinary steering group (n = 19 people) oversaw the PSP. Research uncertainties were collected through a UK-wide online survey distributed to children, young people and adults with food allergy, their parents/carers, and healthcare professionals working in food allergy. A focus group was conducted with seven children aged 8-11 years with food allergy to ensure inclusion of their perspectives. Submitted questions were reviewed, combined into summary questions, and checked against existing evidence to confirm that they represented genuine uncertainties. An interim prioritisation survey was used to rank questions, with equal weighting given to each stakeholder group. A final facilitated workshop used a nominal group technique to agree on the top 10 research priorities.

In total, 916 respondents submitted 2563 questions. After removing out-of-scope and already answered questions, an interim prioritisation survey was completed by 1087 participants. The final workshop involved 29 participants, including young people (n = 3), young adults (n = 4), parents (n = 7) and multidisciplinary healthcare professionals (n = 15), who agreed on the top 10 questions. These cover prevention, early diagnosis, treatment, causes, eating out, safety in care settings, impact, emergency treatment, and awareness of food allergy. There was strong consensus from the final workshop across all attendees that prevention should be the number one priority.

Using a rigorous, transparent, and person-centred approach, we have identified the most important research priorities in childhood food allergy. They highlight the depth and breadth of research required to improve the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and broader impacts of food allergy on children, families, and carers who live with this condition.