Factors associated with college students’ willingness and readiness to act in a food allergic emergency (WilRAFAE)

Abstract

Objective: Food allergies are on the rise in the U.S. Factors associated with willingness and readiness to act in a food allergic emergency on a college campus are currently unknown. Participants: College students in one Catholic college enrolled during spring of 2017. Methods: A previously piloted survey was distributed by e-mail. Results: Four hundred seventy-four individuals responded. All readiness components correlated, and all willingness components correlated with each other. Age, having children, college major had statistically significant correlations with readiness and willingness to act. Readiness was highly predictive of willingness to act in an FAE. Thirty-five percent of variability in willingness to act was explained by age, being health professions students, desire to be trained, social desirability, and readiness. Students in nonhealth related majors expressed high willingness, but low readiness. Conclusion: A pool of willing, trained to act individuals should be considered on college campuses including availability of unassigned epinephrine auto-injector.

Keywords:

• Anaphylaxis
• college students
• epinephrine auto-injector
• food allergic emergency
• institution of higher education

Conflict of interest disclosure

The authors have indicated they have no potential conflicts of interest to disclose.

Acknowledgment

The author wishes to thank Dr. Veronica Feeg, PhD, RN, FAAN, Dr. Patricia Eckardt, PhD, RN, Barbara H. Hagan School of Nursing, Molloy College, and Dr. Janice A. Selekman, DNSc, RN, NCSN, FNASN, University of Delaware, for assistance with this research project.