Photo: Getty Images
In recent years, discussions about systemic inequality have become commonplace as a lens to review the reforms needed in gaining equitable access to basic needs. When it comes to food, health care researchers and social justice advocates are shining a light on what on what “food justice” looks like and the racial disparities prevalent in Black and Brown communities.
Recent studies have raised the startling racial lines of discrepancies found in Black community when it comes to allergic diseases.
“As we see in a combination of studies, there’s a number of food allergens that kind of pop up in our communities,” said Javier Evelyn, CEO of Alerje, Inc. “There is soy and egg and other ones as well. I think it’s happening for two main reasons. First, we are not educated in this space and its not a matter of ability but availability of information to know what we are consuming and what to do when a reaction happens.”
Alerje Inc, a food allergy management innovation company located in Detroit, is dedicated to improving the quality of life for millions of people who suffer from potentially fatal food allergies. With the increased accessibility of epinephrine injection (or “Epipen”), managing food allergies is made simpler, which relieves caregivers’ stress as they work to avert potentially fatal anaphylaxis attacks.
Alerje is developing a tiny epinephrine auto-injector that fits within an IoT-enabled smartphone cover. Emergency 911 dispatchers, parents and spouses are alerted of allergy incidents along with the location information when the device is withdrawn to be utilized in emergencies.
Millions of American children suffer from food allergies, which place a heavy emotional and financial strain on the families who are impacted.
“Most of what is on the market for Epipens is not affordable to people except the affluent,” said Evelyn. “Some lifesaving treatments on the market to help desensitize kids to allergies over time can be valued between $40,000-$60,000 per year, which is far from affordable to an average community member. I am excited to say we are in phase one of getting FDA approved for our accessible Epipen this year and next to get ready to serve 5 percent of the population with allergies, especially in Black and Brown communities.”
In a 2022 study conducted by researchers at Northwestern University’s Medical School of 1,000 participants found a higher likelihood of sensitivity to certain foods in Black children than in white children. The analysis was conducted on a cohort of Black and white children as part of the Food Allergy Outcomes to White and African American Racial Differences (FORWARD) across four urban U.S. cities.
Caregivers filled out a questionnaire regarding allergen-free foods. The report showed that white caregivers were 88 percent more likely to report access to allergen-free foods than Black caregivers at 59 percent.
Black children in the FORWARD cohort had less access to allergen-free meals than White children, although a large portion of the discrepancy can be attributed to participant socioeconomic position and other factors.
In an earlier study the researchers in 2011 “pegged food allergy in children at 8 percent, a higher rate than previously known. It also found much higher incidence of African American children having food allergies and reactions, but a lower chance of having been diagnosed.”
Asthma and food allergies are substantially more common among African Americans than in white Americans, according to studies and statistics from the previous 10 years, especially in youngsters. Anaphylaxis can be brought on by food allergies, and asthmatics are susceptible to severe episodes.
“The location of death reflects the amount of medical interventions that were provided prior to the child’s death, implying differential access to care and suggesting where we need to focus on future efforts and interventions,” Chen Arroyo said.
“When we looked at differences in the location of death across different racial and ethnic groups, we found that there was a higher proportion of black children dying in all three settings: in the hospital, in the emergency room and clinics, and out of the hospital,” she said.
Here’s how the numbers broke down:
These are significant conditions that call for ongoing treatment and medical supervision, supports that, according to studies, are not uniformly accessible to the Black population.
Evelyn said it’s important to keep in mind the lifesaving steps to take if an allergic reaction does occur.
“If you feel a reaction coming on, that is to say hives break out or trouble breathing, the first thing you should do is inject yourself with an Epipen,” said Evelyn.
If one is not available, get in front of someone ASAP to help you to either dial 911 or depending on where you live and police response time, get to urgent care or the ER. Even if you use an Epipen, depending on the severity of your reaction, you might need a second or third dose. Then, learn to be mindful of what you eat and protect yourself.”
About Post Author
