Allergy Check

Protecting children with allergies by creating an allergy assessment and support app.

PARTNERS

This project was in partnership with Dr. Victoria Cook, BC Children’s Hospital's Division of Allergy and Immunology, UBC Department of Pediatrics, Food Allergy Canada, and the Canadian Society of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.

PROTECTING CHILDREN WITH ALLERGIES BY CREATING AN ALLERGY ASSESSMENT AND SUPPORT APP

Food allergies are hard to understand. They happen when the body thinks a certain food is toxic, causing an allergic reaction. Children can outgrow allergies or develop new ones, making it difficult to know which foods to avoid.

When allergic reactions can range from mild to life-threatening, it’s important to tell food intolerance apart from allergies. Food intolerance is more common than allergies, and much less dangerous. It can cause nausea and cramps, but not an allergic reaction. Though, food intolerance is often mistaken as allergies.

Allergies have become a top public health issue in Canada. Over 3 million Canadians self-report having at least one food allergy. More than ever, people are seeking medical advice on allergies.

CHALLENGE

However, the Canadian Medical Association reports only 1 medical allergy professional is available for every 187,000 people in BC. Patients are put on long waitlists without knowing if they actually have their suspected allergies. With the lack of reliable allergy information online, this process can be frustrating for the pediatric patient and their caregivers.

Dr. Victoria E. Cook is a pediatric allergist at the BC Children’s Hospital. She noticed her patients were seeking information about allergies online before visiting the allergy clinic. Unfortunately, many of the sources the patients visited were inaccurate, leading them to having increased fear, anxiety, and following food restrictions that were potentially harmful.

To solve this knowledge gap and contribute to the well-being of others, we wanted to create an easy way for people to access reliable allergy information to get the support they need.

SOLUTION

Allergy Check is a website and mobile app where patients and caregivers can do a quick 2-5 minute survey about their symptoms to get personalized results on the chances of a food allergy. It helps people recognize their symptoms and how to manage their suspected allergies while waiting to see a doctor. Medical providers can use the app to see whether a user’s results need a referral to a specialist. These platforms include resources to credible websites, articles, educational videos, and an FAQ page about treating allergies.

We gathered feedback from physicians, patients, and parents to learn what their struggles were in treating allergies and what an app that could support them would look like. By collaborating with medical professionals, we created evidence-based case studies on common foods that induce allergic reactions (e.g. milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, soy, fish, shellfish).

Our development team coded the survey application to have over 120 potential results of personalized treatments, online resources, and decision-support on whether it may be necessary to see an allergist. The app was validated through cycles of testing to put patients and families at the forefront through a user-centred approach.

IMPACT

“Being able to access credible sources of information to understand the condition of food allergy, and understand what you need to do to stay safe - we see that as being a real important aspect of this tool.” - Jennifer Gerdts, Director of Food Allergy Canada

Since its launch, the Allergy Check website gained over 70K page views, and more than 10,000 users have used the app to manage their symptoms. The survey is quick and easy to use, with the average survey session being 1 minute and 20 seconds. The applications have helped evaluate over 1,800 symptoms of people in 18 different countries, with the majority of users from Canada.

For people with low risk of allergies, the tool can help them by reducing unnecessary restriction of food and the worry of possibly having a food allergy. People with allergies can use the tool’s resources to learn how to expand their diet without fear.

With patients using Allergy Check, long waitlists can be shortened, people have direct access to accurate health information, and more people can properly manage their allergies to create a healthier society.