“You’re Totally on Your Own”: Experiences of Food Allergy on a Canadian University Campus

With the prevalence of food allergies within Canada estimated at approximately 7%, researchers have sought a variety of perspectives to inform our understanding of food allergy risk and perception (Soller et al., 2012). However, university students’ perception of food allergies is an area of little research that needs prompt attention in light of a recent death (2015), due to anaphylactic shock, of an 18-year old Canadian university student (Vuchnich, 2015b). Since the perception that the prevalence of food allergies is increasing, investigation into the risks involved when transitioning into university with a food allergy are needed (Harrington et al., 2012). This study explores the experiences and perceptions of food allergic undergraduate students of the University of Waterloo, Canada. The two main objectives include: (1) to understand how food allergic university students experience and perceive food allergy risk on campus; and (2) to understand their management and coping strategies. Five focus groups were conducted with a total of twenty participants. Focus groups were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim for subsequent thematic analysis. Results are organized into three themes: perceptions and experiences, coping and management, and changes and improvements. The key findings indicate that participants are experiencing difficult transitions into university and social isolation as a result of their food allergy, which has caused them to engage in risk-taking behaviours. This sets the stage for serious policy implications that the university should undertake in order to create a context that is inclusive for students with food allergies.