%20(1920%20x%201280%20px).png)
When an allergic patient or parent of a child managing an allergy reaches out for therapy, it's important for me to learn how the allergy impacts their lives. Sure, they are reaching out because they feel overwhelmed or anxious about their allergy, but that's just the overall picture. And in order to truly help my patients, I need to get a more detailed picture.
I do this by asking patients to complete a Food Allergy Psychosocial Information Form as part of their intake paperwork. The responses on these forms gives me a solid glimpse into their quality of life, which domains are most impacted, and psychosocial themes that may need adjusting. It's a tool that has helped me more effectively meet my patients' needs and ensure they're feeling understood for years now.
After sharing these forms during consultation sessions with allergy practices and fellow therapists, it became clear that these tools may be beneficial to others. Therefore, I've decided to offer them to allergy and therapy practitioners, too. Read on to learn more about how they're beneficial to both patients and providers!
The Food Allergy Psychosocial Information Forms are premade AND customizable!
That means that you don't have to spend time creating them, and can personalize them with your practice's logo and information.
Current versions available:
child
adolescent
adult
parent/caregiver
What Information Does These Forms Gather:
These patient narrative forms allow for detailed responses on themes such as:
Allergy mindset and outlook
Anxiety levels and quality of life (QoL) impacts
Behavioral changes (i.e. restricted eating patterns, limiting experiences)
Impactful memories from previous reactions
Epinephrine knowledge and/or fear of use
Allergy care guidelines being implemented
Sources used to learn allergy information
Allergy impacts in various domains
How patients manage their allergy well
What information will help patients decrease anxiety/increase QoL
Benefits of Using These Forms in Therapy Practices:
Premade and customizable for your practice
One form gathers anxiety-related QoL, anxiety, and functioning information
The patient narrative format helps with treatment goal planning
Patients may feel more comfortable sharing this information initially in writing
Potential networking tool with allergy practices - helps allergists identify patients who may benefit from therapeutic support to positively impact QoL
Benefits of Using These Forms in Allergy Practices:
Premade and customizable for your practice
One form gathers anxiety-related QoL, anxiety, and functioning information
Opportunity for patients to feel heard/more easily express allergy struggles
Helps identify patients' allergy knowledge gaps or inaccurate information
Helps assess the potential need for allied health services (i.e. therapist, dietitian)
Identifies themes to reassess/revisit with patients in future appointments
Suggestions/Tips For Use:
For All - Give to patients as part of the intake paperwork process
For Allergy Practices - If the allergist is unable to review due to time constraints, consider having another team member review and share the main points
Narrative Versus Validated Patient Forms?
It's like comparing apples and oranges - both are fruit, but different kinds. Both narrative and validated forms gather valuable patient information but in different manners.
Validated assessments, such as the Survey of Food Allergy Anxiety (SOFAA), typically assess functioning and impacts that help drive diagnosis and treatment decisions.
Patient narrative forms, such as these Food Allergy Psychosocial Information Forms, primarily gather information to aid in understanding the whole patient. While they may also be used to help determine treatment decisions, their primary purpose is gathering information that helps to facilitate conversations and problem-solving with patients.
Visit The FAC's Shop to check out and learn more about these Food Allergy Psychosocial Information Forms, and don't hesitate to reach out with any questions!
[Special introductory pricing is available through March 31, 2022, and there will always be a discount for purchasing the package, which includes all 4 forms].