Online self management training for patients with food allergy

Background Patients with food allergy generally have a strong need for information on their disease and disease management. Their daily life is full of uncertainties. Therefore an online self management training “Living with food allergy” has been developed for patients with a physician’s diagnosed food allergy to increase patient’s self management. The training was developed by a multidisciplinary team of a dietician, dermatologist, nurse and researcher in collaboration with patients’ organizations: the Dutch Food Allergy Foundation and the Netherlands Anaphylaxis Network; The Netherlands Nutrition Centre Foundation and ICT experts. Financial support for development of the training was obtained from the Innovation Fund of insurance companies. The training consists of information, video’s, patient’s stories and exercises about food allergy, diagnostics, coping with unexpected reactions, diet and consequences of food allergy in daily life.