tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41856458084636078562024-02-20T19:18:37.872-06:00Ruchi Gupta MD MPHA blog about my work as a pediatrician/researcher at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine's Center for Healthcare Studies and Children's Memorial Hospital's Smith Child Health Research Program.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger110125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4185645808463607856.post-59757096933251554662015-09-17T19:32:00.000-05:002015-09-17T19:32:00.281-05:00What is Anaphylaxis and how is it treated? <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_CO9Ueymu9lEBjMzYQXcGhMw1dnJRsKIutrEpr5A5JgA8EXYArYI0MJIuGStBh3uv65qrpw9dblqIfxv4dDJaQ036gEzaAmYJmJ-SQ2Pd3J8Oj702PJO7baTOs3qJqDdWrHrdUFfU07s/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-09-10+at+5.28.39+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="163" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_CO9Ueymu9lEBjMzYQXcGhMw1dnJRsKIutrEpr5A5JgA8EXYArYI0MJIuGStBh3uv65qrpw9dblqIfxv4dDJaQ036gEzaAmYJmJ-SQ2Pd3J8Oj702PJO7baTOs3qJqDdWrHrdUFfU07s/s320/Screen+Shot+2015-09-10+at+5.28.39+PM.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://app.criticalmention.com/app/#clip/view?15109283/token/9c17c2a3-cefc-487d-a8ac-756eeba487c2" target="_blank">CLICK HERE TO WATCH A SHORT INTERVIEW ABOUT FOOD ALLERGY--INCLUDING: </a><div>
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<li>What is anaphylaxis</li>
<li>How to recognize a food-allergic reaction</li>
<li>How many kids in the US have food allergy</li>
<li>What to do if you see a child experiencing anaphylaxis</li>
<li>What schools, parents and children can do to effectively treat reactions when they occur</li>
<li>How schools can get free EpiPens through the EpiPen 4 Schools program </li>
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Hope you like it! </div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4185645808463607856.post-28063537154729447132015-09-10T18:42:00.004-05:002015-09-10T18:42:54.440-05:00Quote in article about substance use among teens with chronic illness<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuYLnr1hd9J0ICszv96wy_tk6sseyCoD3MENkolwC0CXMNTldA2t_WBwiqfr4bFhEcVeaOj94S97IlCOyFyMZz467og8J81Pc7K5jGjPv80PExH7hln8pKZTkJMSsZ1UbjAvgqg_2HTEQ/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-09-10+at+4.17.23+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="141" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuYLnr1hd9J0ICszv96wy_tk6sseyCoD3MENkolwC0CXMNTldA2t_WBwiqfr4bFhEcVeaOj94S97IlCOyFyMZz467og8J81Pc7K5jGjPv80PExH7hln8pKZTkJMSsZ1UbjAvgqg_2HTEQ/s400/Screen+Shot+2015-09-10+at+4.17.23+PM.png" width="400" /></a></div>
I was recently asked to comment on <a href="http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/136/3/450.full" target="_blank">an article published in the current issue of </a><i><a href="http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/136/3/450.full" target="_blank">Pediatric</a><a href="http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/136/3/450.full" target="_blank">s </a></i><a href="http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/136/3/450.full" target="_blank">entitled Alcohol and Marijuana Use and Treatment Nonadherence Among Medically Vulnerable Youth.</a> This interesting article by Elissa Weitzman and colleagues found that both alcohol and marijuana use are common in youth who have chronic medical conditions such as asthma, juvenile arthritis and type 1 diabetes. The study did not specifically recruit children with food allergy. While study participants reported rates of alcohol and marijuana use that were similar to those in the general population, alcohol use was associated with reduced likelihood of taking medications as prescribed by their physician (also known as "medication nonadherence"). <br />
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Alcohol can impact not only affect the results of laboratory tests but can also lead to adverse interactions with medications. However, in this study almost 2/3 of children did not know whether alcohol use can interfere with laboratory test results and nearly 1/2 of children didn't realize that alcohol can interfere with their medications. Presented with these findings, I told the reporter that "<i>I think that the big take-home is if we can help educate them, we may be able to improve their compliance with their meds,</i> and <i>There needs to be an open, honest discussion about what they need to do to manage their disease, and the role that alcohol or marijuana or any substance can play in the effectiveness of their medication or how it's helping them</i>."<br />
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Another obvious, but important point made by the article is that just because a teenager has a chronic illness, doesn't mean that they stop acting like a teenager. To this I added "<i>I think in general, in the populations of teens they're looking at, this is a huge time for risk-taking, So this is a time when they are experimenting, thinking that they're indestructible."</i><br />
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<a href="http://health.usnews.com/health-news/articles/2015/08/31/many-teens-with-chronic-illnesses-use-alcohol-pot" target="_blank">Click here to read my comments in the context of the full article, </a>and<i> </i><u><a href="http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/136/3/450.full" target="_blank">click here for a direct link to the full journal article, courtesy of Pediatrics </a></u>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4185645808463607856.post-8481863947981272342015-06-24T10:41:00.000-05:002015-06-24T12:50:03.930-05:00WE NEED YOUR HELP: Participants needed<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkA4na2RrlKpl1D_QPea2yqs63ZY7PL-KsV4rh86F3UTBCZKI_ek7PIme7TEpfj5ogLJSKE2WaXW2LTWJsNrTDPEepsyqnrPeUvw3oAP61fWAP4FxvjmUAlylfe5_SzeqPSAwZ9oKYx_4/s1600/help.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkA4na2RrlKpl1D_QPea2yqs63ZY7PL-KsV4rh86F3UTBCZKI_ek7PIme7TEpfj5ogLJSKE2WaXW2LTWJsNrTDPEepsyqnrPeUvw3oAP61fWAP4FxvjmUAlylfe5_SzeqPSAwZ9oKYx_4/s1600/help.jpeg" /></a></div>
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If you or a loved one have a food allergy, you probably know how frustrating it can be when others don't understand its potential seriousness or are unwilling to accommodate. This lack food allergy knowledge and awareness can be especially problematic for kids, who are more prone to severe reactions and may not want to "make a big deal" out of their food allergy in front of peers. With this in mind, later this summer we plan to create three educational video about food allergy, for children in elementary, middle, and high school. <br />
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To determine what these educational videos should look like and what content they should contain, we are currently conducting a survey of youth with food allergy to get their perspectives. Therefore, if you have a child with food allergy, or you are a child with food allergy, <a href="https://redcap.nubic.northwestern.edu/redcap/surveys/?s=aNio3CzmHw" target="_blank">please click this link to tell us your thoughts. The survey is designed for children to complete it themselves (with your guidance if desired).</a> Be sure to only click or copy/paste the link once, as it may not permit the initiation of multiple surveys on a single device. Thank you so much for your help with this important project! </div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4185645808463607856.post-37533688896361496252015-05-15T17:53:00.001-05:002015-05-15T17:53:16.583-05:00Dangerous Bites: Cultural Implications of Food Allergies<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8obHJOMS48OphdGnk2yzjDlAfJvKgFHeMmWe9F9R7q2BJCONXaGm2wuSYp_SF6icwzY_t2-Hf7C1i2350BqN6GGf8GwVFxDd1prYBLIvgUW-S3kSPtwEYBlhydkyNB1ZyS4NT-0TBAyU/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-05-15+at+3.50.34+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8obHJOMS48OphdGnk2yzjDlAfJvKgFHeMmWe9F9R7q2BJCONXaGm2wuSYp_SF6icwzY_t2-Hf7C1i2350BqN6GGf8GwVFxDd1prYBLIvgUW-S3kSPtwEYBlhydkyNB1ZyS4NT-0TBAyU/s320/Screen+Shot+2015-05-15+at+3.50.34+PM.png" width="320" /></a></div>
If you have a chance, I highly recommend checking out <a href="http://caamedia.org/offthemenu/2015/05/14/dangerous-bites-cultural-implications-of-food-allergies/" target="_blank">this article about the cultural implications of food allergies in Asian American communities</a>. It was published yesterday by Grace Hwang Lynch, a Bay Area writer who I've gotten to know over the last year as she conducted research for the piece. Her article is one component of <a href="http://caamedia.org/offthemenu/" target="_blank"><i>"Off the Menu: Asian America"</i>, a multimedia project which also features a one-hour PBS primetime special.</a> Hope you like it! Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4185645808463607856.post-6827446839412990892015-04-28T14:52:00.001-05:002015-04-28T14:52:15.434-05:00Pictures from Five Fabulous Femmes Gala! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrLYGrniyOiUJNRrNLWWEVirlKxY-sSf-j18fOSt4tZF61nXok3wC8Zinpesk1oVF0vXOW-T7zdzCcmU6AlrnoekCE2hJ0wNKVnoZhVYXskTR6XJToyiuU5dW2qYsp_46VBNnTX8AV4T4/s1600/IMG_0512.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrLYGrniyOiUJNRrNLWWEVirlKxY-sSf-j18fOSt4tZF61nXok3wC8Zinpesk1oVF0vXOW-T7zdzCcmU6AlrnoekCE2hJ0wNKVnoZhVYXskTR6XJToyiuU5dW2qYsp_46VBNnTX8AV4T4/s1600/IMG_0512.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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Toni Preckwinkle, Myself, Katherine Darnstadt, and Darlene Hill at last weekend's Gala! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQAbSdjpE958N6e0V4c5YsMxtbAeM_oZssp_4pTJp3p5tN2a37wbVh-ar6dAYZXqC9dhDynkzKd8tNv0cUpiq2s0UmmIy1ZnRCBheVyXGDiq4wpz5rhxISezcD5vOtzGzUXNfwcvyu__8/s1600/IMG_0519.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQAbSdjpE958N6e0V4c5YsMxtbAeM_oZssp_4pTJp3p5tN2a37wbVh-ar6dAYZXqC9dhDynkzKd8tNv0cUpiq2s0UmmIy1ZnRCBheVyXGDiq4wpz5rhxISezcD5vOtzGzUXNfwcvyu__8/s1600/IMG_0519.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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My award! Thanks Demoiselle 2 Femme and keep up the great work! </div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4185645808463607856.post-57488045479359541002015-04-18T15:00:00.000-05:002015-04-18T15:00:09.778-05:00Five Fabulous Femmes!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-Q5j76u20eqpIFiwE_qbye7RSv7GS5xIw7AxiJbyTfiDqsXIYdZ-u8tG_uCkTmIPzR_RGZ0bfVuDqATB6MoOtAO_ionC4lCR-k4syVZVbT83A43L6kMY1I2dFoWwOBsnVRTMXAEOD88c/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-04-18+at+12.39.48+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-Q5j76u20eqpIFiwE_qbye7RSv7GS5xIw7AxiJbyTfiDqsXIYdZ-u8tG_uCkTmIPzR_RGZ0bfVuDqATB6MoOtAO_ionC4lCR-k4syVZVbT83A43L6kMY1I2dFoWwOBsnVRTMXAEOD88c/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-04-18+at+12.39.48+PM.png" height="300" width="320" /></a></div>
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Last night I had the enormous pleasure of attending the premiere anniversary gala held by the amazing non-profit, Demoiselle 2 Femme. If you're not already familiar with their work, their mission is to provide holistic services, education, instruction and training to assist adolescent girls in a successful transition to womanhood. Over the last two decades Demoiselle 2 Femme has provided prevention and education programs to more than 3,000 girls ages 13-19 in the Chicagoland community! Through their programs, girls are challenged and empowered to utilize critical thinking skills to make healthy decisions as they navigate adolescence. <br />
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I have long admired the work of D2F and feel so deeply honored to be acknowledged as one of their 2015 <i>Five Fabulous Femmes </i>for my research and advocacy. My fellow honorees last night were:<br />
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<li>Darlene Hill, Anchor and Host of FOX-TV's <i>Good Morning Chicago</i></li>
<li>Toni Preckwinkle, Cook County Board President </li>
<li>Elizabeth L. Corey, Business Lawyer at Foley & Lardner LLP & </li>
<li>Katherine Darnstadt, Architect and Founder, Latent Design</li>
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Thank you so much Demoiselle 2 Femme for the TRULY FABULOUS work you do on behalf of girls and women throughout Chicago!</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4185645808463607856.post-63655412301396926162015-03-19T22:05:00.001-05:002015-03-19T22:05:13.777-05:00WBEZ interview this week on food allergy disparities within the Chicago Public Schools<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-x6c5U_zgGBa8mCllOaXusQaFYAGO2qwzv_3y7Os52LqVzCWLTHmStUPXGf9n4qneA0ms6XeSWa3HwWdycanqBmmvW81BtWVZesaX4-jC6cn_dWT23ef8wN3zyTKFv-uYQ6AyMFKZKdY/s1600/wbez.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-x6c5U_zgGBa8mCllOaXusQaFYAGO2qwzv_3y7Os52LqVzCWLTHmStUPXGf9n4qneA0ms6XeSWa3HwWdycanqBmmvW81BtWVZesaX4-jC6cn_dWT23ef8wN3zyTKFv-uYQ6AyMFKZKdY/s1600/wbez.jpg" height="85" width="320" /></a></div>
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As you may know, I have been collaborating with the Chicago Public Schools for the past few years on a number of research projects aiming to improve food allergy management within CPS. As a result, I occasionally get opportunities to discuss my work, and the challenges schools and families face in keeping students with food allergy safe. Today I was on WBEZ's Morning Shift show discussing childhood food allergy disparities within CPS. <br />
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<a href="http://www.wbez.org/sections/food/addressing-food-allergies-some-chicago-schools-fall-through-cracks-111728" target="_blank">You can click here to read or listen to the story</a> (it's about 5 minutes long). Enjoy! Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4185645808463607856.post-84150336702279033182015-02-18T13:00:00.000-06:002015-02-18T14:46:09.254-06:002015 AAAAI Annual Meeting: Empowering Students with Asthma in Chicago Schools through Photovoice and Videovoice <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOl66w_Oh7-yik8mxfIS-XIVmQlICPMPkiHWmfOQfiwc2rme4g07blYDJUQBBcJH08fYkbTGV4YVlLIz8v_G55w_JeiREFuEaISsSQVQyazTSs4RKDLUr0V3XDU6kB5iMVok7pq57xLAQ/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-02-12+at+9.53.23+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOl66w_Oh7-yik8mxfIS-XIVmQlICPMPkiHWmfOQfiwc2rme4g07blYDJUQBBcJH08fYkbTGV4YVlLIz8v_G55w_JeiREFuEaISsSQVQyazTSs4RKDLUr0V3XDU6kB5iMVok7pq57xLAQ/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-02-12+at+9.53.23+PM.png" height="93" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white;">As I mentioned in my last post, I'm headed to Houston in a few days for the AAAI annual meeting where I'll be making a number of presentations. Here's a summary of my 2nd presentation, for those of you who want to stay abreast of my latest research. It's entitled</span>: <i>Empowering Students with Asthma in Chicago Schools through Photovoice and Videovoice, </i>and it reports findings from a recent school-based asthma intervention we carried out in a south-side Chicago school.<br />
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As you may know, asthma is a problem of epidemic proportions in Chicago, where childhood prevalence and mortality rates are well above the national average. The objective of this study was to partner with adolescents to improve asthma management and increase community asthma knowledge and support. To do this, middle school students with asthma (N=12) were recruited at a Washington Park school to participate in a 13-week program grounded in Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) principles. Students were given mini-tablet mobile devices to investigate socio-environmental factors influencing their asthma. They did this by taking photographs, recording video Public Service Announcements to educate their communities, and implementing a targeted community intervention. <br />
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The major asthma triggers identified by students in their communities included air pollution, smoking and automobile idling. Participants demonstrated significant improvement in asthma self-efficacy and empowerment (p<.05). Interestingly, their caregivers demonstrated significant improvement in their asthma-related quality of life and asthma knowledge (p<.001). Use of peak flow meters (p<.01), spacers (p<.05), and asthma action plans (p<0.01) also increased significantly as a result of the program. As a capstone project, students developed and presented videos to peers and caregivers and posted them to a website to disseminate results to the community. You can view these videos on my new website at <a href="http://www.ruchigupta.com/asthma-videos/" target="_blank">http://www.ruchigupta.com/asthma-videos/</a>!<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4185645808463607856.post-68392441417482234292015-02-13T14:13:00.000-06:002015-02-13T14:13:16.718-06:002015 AAAAI Annual Meeting: Understanding Adolescent Food Allergy Risk-Taking Behavior <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOl66w_Oh7-yik8mxfIS-XIVmQlICPMPkiHWmfOQfiwc2rme4g07blYDJUQBBcJH08fYkbTGV4YVlLIz8v_G55w_JeiREFuEaISsSQVQyazTSs4RKDLUr0V3XDU6kB5iMVok7pq57xLAQ/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-02-12+at+9.53.23+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOl66w_Oh7-yik8mxfIS-XIVmQlICPMPkiHWmfOQfiwc2rme4g07blYDJUQBBcJH08fYkbTGV4YVlLIz8v_G55w_JeiREFuEaISsSQVQyazTSs4RKDLUr0V3XDU6kB5iMVok7pq57xLAQ/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-02-12+at+9.53.23+PM.png" height="93" width="400" /></a></div>
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In just one short week, I will be heading to balmy Houston, Texas for the annual meeting of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. While I'm there I will be presenting three of our ongoing research projects--two of which related to childhood food allergy and another which reports findings from a recent school-based asthma intervention. Since I love you guys so much, in the next week or so I'll provide a sneak peek of the work I'll be presenting at the conference. Today I'll start by sharing findings from an ongoing study entitled: <i>Understanding Risk-Taking Behavior in Adolescents with Food Allergy</i></div>
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So we know that the risk of a food allergy fatality from anaphylaxis is higher among adolescents and young adults than in other groups. However, there has been very little research into the types of risk-taking behaviors that food allergic adolescents currently engage in. To learn more about adolescent risk taking behavior we have been administering a short web-based survey to 14-22 year-olds with food allergy. Survey questions assess food allergy history, food allergy reactions, food allergy risks, food allergy support, general risk assessment, and demographics. </div>
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Though data collection is still ongoing, preliminary results (N=80) indicate respondents are mostly female (70%), white (88%), with an average age of 16.6 years (SD=2.1). Regarding selected risk-taking behaviors analyzed, 11% of respondents do not believe their allergy is life-threatening. . Additionally, 14% consume homemade foods not knowing what they contain. Importantly, 8% of respondents do not carry injectable epinephrine, and 44% do not wear medical jewelry. Once data collection is complete we will identify best practices for adolescents and formulate recommendations for risk reduction and continued research. Expect more news later this year! </div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4185645808463607856.post-18498082088397864112015-02-07T10:30:00.000-06:002015-02-07T10:30:00.930-06:00A webinar featuring my food allergy research!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG343T7IHWb_MSPjOCj8qdyluNXQQADBpQEFzvAtWpjfQijTdB3a7z9AsafJsNHK0w-IKDzwjEL8xviGJsux2xJD4M-gY1zVLyFivk6rvNpF1VVYHCSZzyHVQw-0yV9pGKTB5CiciLPVE/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-02-04+at+7.36.44+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG343T7IHWb_MSPjOCj8qdyluNXQQADBpQEFzvAtWpjfQijTdB3a7z9AsafJsNHK0w-IKDzwjEL8xviGJsux2xJD4M-gY1zVLyFivk6rvNpF1VVYHCSZzyHVQw-0yV9pGKTB5CiciLPVE/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-02-04+at+7.36.44+PM.png" height="214" width="320" /></a></div>
Last week I was invited by the American Academy of Pediatrics to give a webinar entitled <i>Food Allergy Epidemiology, Diagnosis and Management in the Medical Home. </i>In this hour-long presentation, I shared my research and personal perspectives on food allergy alongside other experts. Though the talk was intended for an audience of pediatricians, much of the talk provides basic info about food allergy, how it's diagnosed, and how it should be managed--all of which is relevant to anyone who has/cares for someone with food allergy. If you're at all interested, I recommend <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vTp5lnexj_Y">taking a look at the archived video, which you can find here.</a> Hope you enjoy the presentation!<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4185645808463607856.post-45763033004011340282015-02-02T23:03:00.001-06:002015-02-02T23:03:07.210-06:00Learn about Anaphylaxis!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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As a pediatrician and food allergy researcher, I spend a lot of time talking about anaphylaxis. For those who have never experienced it, it can be hard to comprehend just how profoundly it affects the body's different organ systems. Anaphylaxis can manifest itself in many ways, from wheezing and facial swelling to confusion and abdominal pain. I recently learned about a really neat online resource that explains the various <a href="http://www.healthline.com/health/anaphylaxis/effects-on-body">effects of anaphylaxis through an interactive body map. Take a look and educate yoursel</a>f on the different ways that anaphylaxis can present--it's important to know the signs and symptoms of an allergic reaction!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4185645808463607856.post-27654336785614755352015-01-29T16:19:00.002-06:002015-01-29T16:19:21.834-06:00My new website!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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At long last, I'm proud to announce the formal unveiling of my new website, <a href="http://www.ruchigupta.com./">www.ruchigupta.com.</a> From now on, the site will provide a one-stop shop for information about my ongoing research, with links to articles, videos, book, and any other interesting projects we have going on. You can also meet my research team and check out some of my recent media appearances. So I encourage you to go visit the site and explore. Hope you like it! Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4185645808463607856.post-3430932195719317502015-01-19T00:44:00.000-06:002015-01-19T00:44:00.081-06:00New Paper about Childhood Peanut Allergy <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Although peanut allergy is among the most common food allergies, no study has comprehensively described the distribution and predictors of childhood peanut allergy in the United States. The goal of this study, which was just published in the journal Asthma and Allergy Proceedings, was to better characterize peanut allergy prevalence, how it is being diagnosed, and the type of allergic reactions that children with peanut allergy tend to have. To accomplish this we surveyed nearly 40,000 parents from all over the US. Of the 3218 children identified with food allergy, 754 (24.8%) were reported to have a peanut allergy. <div>
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In our study, we found that peanut allergy was reported most often among 6- to 10-year-old children (25.5%), white children (47.7%), and children from households with an annual income of $50,000-$99,999 (41.7%). Although peanut allergy was diagnosed by a physician in roughly 75% of cases, the reactions tended to be more severe than for other foods (53.7% versus 41.0%). Furthermore, parents were significantly less likely to report tolerance to peanut as compared with the odds of tolerance reported for other foods. Therefore, overall, childhood peanut allergy, which represents nearly a quarter of all food allergy, presents more severe reactions and is less likely to be outgrown than other food allergies. Although it is diagnosed by a physician in nearly three-fourths of all cases, socioeconomic disparities remain regarding how it is diagnosed. <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=25562557%5Buid%5D"> To learn more about our study, click here. </a><br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4185645808463607856.post-23998997242007268902015-01-13T16:26:00.003-06:002015-01-13T16:26:44.850-06:00Check out Nutrimom's blog!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Happy New Year everyone! I'm so sorry for my absence over the last couple of months. However, I have resolved to post more regularly in 2015...starting now :) This is just a quick post letting you know about a neat blog I have been following recently. <a href="http://allergyphoods.blogspot.com/">Click here to check it out</a>--it's by Tracy aka "Nutrimom"--a self-proclaimed "Food Allergy Liason" who is committed to helping other families with food allergy live more freely by incorporating allergen-free food substitutes and other creative solutions into day-to-day life. She actually has a neat contest going on right now that you should enter before it ends on 1/16. Stay tuned for more updates!<br />
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4185645808463607856.post-24321845779693358342014-10-27T22:26:00.002-05:002014-10-27T22:26:31.377-05:00The Steve Whitman Award <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Recently, over 200 community and academic partners participated in a city-wide symposium hosted by the Chicago Consortium for Community Engagement (C3) entitled <i>“Building Health Equity through Community Engaged Research throughout Chicago.</i>” In the afternoon, there was a poster session featuring partnerships and research across Chicagoland. In tribute to the <a href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-steven-whitman-obituary-met-20140727-story.html">late Dr. Steve Whitman</a>, renowned social epidemiologist, humanitarian, and social justice advocate, an award was given to honor his memory and work to the top poster. We are extremely proud that our team was the first recipient of this award for our ongoing collaboration with the Chicago Public Schools <i>‘Empowering Students with Asthma in Chicago Schools through Photovoice and Videovoice’</i>! <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BxkXKFxg-9V4alNvTGZQelFwU0E/view">Follow this link to see our poster, which explains more about this exciting community-engaged project!</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4185645808463607856.post-51630791450172287542014-10-21T17:01:00.001-05:002014-10-21T17:01:41.105-05:00New Paper about Epinephrine in Schools<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Today I'm very happy to announce that our new study "Emergency Epinephrine Use for Food Allergy Reactions in Chicago Public Schools" is garnering some publicity--<a href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/ct-cps-allergy-shots-met-1021-20141020-story.html">including this write-up in today's Chicago Tribune.</a> The paper will be published on October 20th in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. <br />
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Following national and local legislation, CPS was the first large, urban school district in the nation to develop and implement an initiative to supply all public and charter schools in Chicago with epinephrine auto-injectors. Our paper reports that <b>during the 2012-2013 school year, 38 Chicago Public School (CPS) students and staff were given emergency medication for potentially life-threatening allergic reactions</b>. Given the significant impact of stocking emergency auto-injectors during the initiative’s first year, we feel that schools across the country should consider adopting similar policies. <br />
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Here are some other key findings from the report: <br />
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<li>The majority of those receiving an EAI were students (92 percent) </li>
<li>More than half didn’t know they had an allergy (55 percent) </li>
<li>Twenty-one of the EAIs given were to treat food induced allergic reactions </li>
<li>Among food-induced reactions, peanut was the most common followed by fin fish </li>
<li>The trigger of more than a third of all reactions was unknown </li>
<li>Elementary schools had the most cases of EAIs administered </li>
<li>School nurses administered the medication the majority of the time </li>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4185645808463607856.post-27141270563855432302014-10-16T15:59:00.002-05:002014-10-16T15:59:26.756-05:00Upcoming Food Allergy Wellness Summit<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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In a couple of weeks, I’m excited to be part of an informational FREE online event about living with FOOD ALLERGIES. Have any burning questions about food allergy, or how to manage it? I will be on a 12 person panel at the FOOD ALLERGY WELLNESS Summit, which runs from November 3rd – 6th. It's free to listen and there are lots of great educational sessions. <a href="http://www.foodallergywellness.com/">Learn more at their website</a>.<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4185645808463607856.post-38510594670083380412014-10-06T11:30:00.001-05:002014-10-06T11:30:08.534-05:002014 FARE Walk for Food Allergy!!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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If you happened to be in Lincoln Park earlier today enjoying the fall weather, you may have stumbled upon hundreds of oddly attired folks milling around the lakefront. If they were dressed in bright green and hanging out with a giant wolf, you probably saw our team at the <a href="https://www.kintera.org/faf/home/default.asp?ievent=1102643">2014 FARE Walk for Food Allergy</a>! It was the best FARE walk yet--with a great turnout, awesome entertainment and wonderfully crisp sunny weather. I want to thank all of the many friends, family and members of my research team that spent the afternoon with me. It was not only a ton of fun, but it helped to raise funds and remind us all why childhood food allergy is such an important cause! <br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4185645808463607856.post-46573576151889804632014-09-18T19:02:00.001-05:002014-09-18T19:02:49.161-05:00FARE's Emergency Anaphylaxis Management Summit<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Recently, I was invited to participate in a summit held by Food Allergy Research and Education (FARE) which sought to assess and improve the understanding and treatment of anaphylaxis by emergency medicine professionals. These folks include first-line responders such as emergency medical technicians (EMTs), emergency medicine doctors, and paramedics. This summit, which was held here in Chicago earlier this month was an amazing opportunity to meet with experts, friends, and colleagues from all over the country who are passionate about ensuring that individuals experiencing serious allergic reactions receive the best emergency care from medical professionals. Moreover, we want to ensure that these medical professionals are equipped with the best, most up-to-date information to treat anaphylaxis. By the end of the summit, we developed the following set of action items, which comprise an agenda we will continue to pursue now that the summit is over. These important action items include:<br />
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<b>1)</b> Creating a common description of anaphylaxis that may be used by healthcare professionals and patients for prompt and accurate diagnosis and treatment of anaphylaxis (including atypical presentations and biphasic reactions),<br />
<b>2)</b> Facilitating partnerships with organizations representing the continuum of emergency care in order to improve recognition, treatment and long-term management of anaphylaxis,<br />
<b>3) </b>Increasing usage of epinephrine, improving awareness of its first-line use in the management of anaphylaxis, and dispelling fears about contraindications and side effects,<br />
<b>4)</b>Working with policymakers at every level to allow all EMTs to carry and administer stock epinephrine<br />
<b>5)</b> Improving emergency department discharge protocols so that patients, particularly those with first-time reactions, are better informed about how to manage the ongoing risk of severe allergic reactions and anaphylaxis. Results of a recent FARE survey showed less than a quarter of respondents were given information about food allergies, referral to an allergist or a prescription for an epinephrine auto-injector upon discharge from the emergency department.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4185645808463607856.post-12145015736730916022014-09-08T13:53:00.002-05:002014-09-08T13:53:18.047-05:00New study published in Pediatrics!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Today I'm pleased to announce the publication of a <a href="http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/early/2014/09/02/peds.2014-0402.abstract">new study </a>that we've been working on for a number of years. It deals with the important issue of "action plans", which are health management plans that specify exactly what should be done in case of an asthma or food allergy-related emergency. Establishing an emergency action plan is an important component of managing both food allergy and asthma, and is something that all kids with these conditions should have on file with their school--just in case. However, <b>our study found that half of CPS students with food allergy and a quarter of student with asthma do not have an emergency action plan on file with their school. </b> Moreover low-income and minority students are less likely than their more affluent, White peers to have established a health management plan with their school. Therefore, the next phase of this research will determine the most effective ways to reach out to families of these students and facilitate the establishment of up-to-date management plans with their respective schools. Stay tuned for more updates! Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4185645808463607856.post-44430817848865696042014-09-03T00:34:00.002-05:002014-09-03T00:34:50.444-05:00Upcoming Conference and Travel Schedule<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
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Happy September! So sorry for the long delay since my last post. It's been a busy summer--so much to share! Speaking of which, here's a list of some particularly important upcoming conferences that I'll be attending in the next couple of months. Hope to see you soon!</div>
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Attending: 9/4-9/6 Emergency Management of Anaphylaxis Summit, Chicago, IL</div>
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Speaking: 9/12 Allergy and Asthma Network US Anaphylaxis Summit 2014, Anaheim, CA</div>
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Speaking: 9/13 Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Connection Team Annual Food Allergy Conference Anaheim, CA</div>
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Speaking: 9/19 Allergy and Asthma Network US Anaphylaxis Summit 2014, Atlanta, GA</div>
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Speaking: 9/26-9/28 Food Allergy Bloggers Conference Las Vegas, NV</div>
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Speaking: 10/2 Food Allergies and Anaphylaxis in Schools, Kalamazoo, MI</div>
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Speaking: 10/3 Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Conference for Practicing Providers, Kalamazoo, MI</div>
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Speaking: 10/10 Allergy and Asthma Network US Anaphylaxis Summit 2014, Denver, CO</div>
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Speaking: 10/17 Allergy and Asthma Network US Anaphylaxis Summit 2014 , Philadelphia, PA</div>
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Speaking: 10/24-10/25 Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Connection Team Annual Teen Conference, Chicago, IL</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4185645808463607856.post-20625261528597616822014-08-11T15:59:00.000-05:002014-08-11T15:59:00.373-05:00Businesses making a difference: POSoncloud<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQi_cdygWLvj8zaFsrJowzf_FOwebUQQhkeixRJ36WZi82IVUXCf03rhoeaZA1o04EiQmVlXAI0B-yYFDd6v3Y_ttn0jpmuwZxQtzt1Yvhddc2zWfr6qIomNxUJylbiJTk4Ap1CatIKAQ/s1600/allergy-contamination-conference-dublin-310x415.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQi_cdygWLvj8zaFsrJowzf_FOwebUQQhkeixRJ36WZi82IVUXCf03rhoeaZA1o04EiQmVlXAI0B-yYFDd6v3Y_ttn0jpmuwZxQtzt1Yvhddc2zWfr6qIomNxUJylbiJTk4Ap1CatIKAQ/s1600/allergy-contamination-conference-dublin-310x415.jpg" height="320" width="239" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">I just wanted to give a shout out to great companies like POSoncloud (</span><a href="http://www.posoncloud.com/" style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" target="_blank">www.posoncloud.com</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">). They have not only developed a tool for restaurants to improve their service but they also make restaurants very allergen aware! Their tool will allow waiters to have allergen details on their fingertips at the time of ordering. On a recent trip to my hometown, Louisville, KY, I met the CEO and co-founder Sunny Dronawat, who showed me the system and highlighted features that can help restaurants, hospital and school cafeterias avoid accidental ingestions and allergic reactions. </span><br />
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This can help both on the side of ordering but sends the message to the kitchen staff so their are multiple checks to keep us safe. We need more companies like this that help support protecting children and adults with food allergy. </div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4185645808463607856.post-49522323404216148282014-08-06T14:48:00.000-05:002014-08-06T14:48:00.654-05:00Photos from the Epinephrine Bill Signing!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxtF0c4d3CtN83VTkxh7qWW8AQ6cY8ox3w460lNyeXUm0qJ3jk_uChV74Vn2IGuBd9KudFBF4c9CBh7q9w_QSzRwFwzTSHc9dDZ4LNteFP9Xp0a9vddWYGtm6eUKCGNzxudFKsQWKRsfs/s1600/download_20140731_114205.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxtF0c4d3CtN83VTkxh7qWW8AQ6cY8ox3w460lNyeXUm0qJ3jk_uChV74Vn2IGuBd9KudFBF4c9CBh7q9w_QSzRwFwzTSHc9dDZ4LNteFP9Xp0a9vddWYGtm6eUKCGNzxudFKsQWKRsfs/s1600/download_20140731_114205.jpeg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
Since I promised you a picture last week, here's a photo of my wonderful team and IL State Attorney General, Lisa Madigan! We had the opportunity to meet her after Governor Quinn signed the emergency epinephrine bill <a href="http://ruchiguptamd.blogspot.com/2014/07/governer-quinn-to-sign-epi-bill.html">I mentioned last week</a>. This bill increases access to emergency epinephrine in schools and marks an important step toward ensuring the health and well-being of our kids. Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4185645808463607856.post-39911274844622016982014-08-01T08:17:00.000-05:002014-08-01T08:17:00.166-05:00Food Allergy Study Participants Needed<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Uo8WxTPD69o/U9ee434MdsI/AAAAAAAAizI/kxWO7B2JYOo/s1600/we+want+you.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Uo8WxTPD69o/U9ee434MdsI/AAAAAAAAizI/kxWO7B2JYOo/s1600/we+want+you.jpeg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">We are currently recruiting participants for a study entitled “Risk-Taking Behavior among Adolescents with Food Allergy”. The goal of this study is to learn more about the risk-taking behaviors of adolescents with food allergies – both in regard to general risk-taking and risk-taking as it relates to food allergy. </span><br style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;" /><br style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;" /><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">In order to participate in the study, <b>adolescents between the ages of 14 and 22 years who currently have a food allergy are being asked to complete an anonymous and confidential electronic survey</b>. No protected health or identifying information is being collected. No compensation is being offered in exchange for study participation. This study is being conducted by myself, Dr. Ruchi Gupta, MD, MPH of Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine. All aspects of this research study have been approved by the Northwestern Institutional Review Board, IRB STU00097291. </span><br style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;" /><br style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;" /><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">If you are between the ages of 18 and 22 and are interested in participating in this study, please click on </span><a href="http://www.kintera.org/TR.asp?a=9eIKKOOsHcLELQMCE&s=[[en_supporter_id]]&m=[[en_MailID2]]" style="color: #004b8d; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><strong>this secure link</strong></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> to access the survey. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">If you are the parent of a child with a food allergy between the ages of 14 and 17 and have no objections to your adolescent child participating in this study, please forward him/her</span><strong style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> <a href="http://www.kintera.org/TR.asp?a=9eIKKOOsHcLFLQMBE&s=[[en_supporter_id]]&m=[[en_MailID2]]" style="color: #004b8d; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">this link</a></strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">. </span><div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">If you have any questions, please contact Research Project Coordinator Victoria Rivkina at </span><a href="mailto:victoria.rivkina@northwestern.edu" style="color: #004b8d; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><strong>victoria.rivkina@northwestern.edu</strong></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> or 312-503-3193 or Principal Investigator Dr. Ruchi Gupta at </span><a href="mailto:r-gupta@northwestern.edu" style="color: #004b8d; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><strong>r-gupta@northwestern.edu</strong></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> or 312-503-3193.</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4185645808463607856.post-78958765547290373872014-07-28T19:11:00.001-05:002014-07-28T19:11:18.598-05:00Governer Quinn to sign Epi bill<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-v3fEl7D2sCE/U9bmbs5hTAI/AAAAAAAAiyg/Hdr1RQuwvlI/s1600/senate-floor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-v3fEl7D2sCE/U9bmbs5hTAI/AAAAAAAAiyg/Hdr1RQuwvlI/s1600/senate-floor.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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I'm pleased to announce that this Wednesday Governor Quinn will be signing a bill into law, for which food allergy advocates like myself have been tirelessly advocating. The new law will expand Illinois' existing stock epinephrine law by permitting people besides nurses to administer epinephrine to children having an allergic reaction. This is important because many schools lack full-time nurses, who previously were the only personnel authorized to administer epinephrine to students suspected of having a severe allergic reaction. Importantly, the new law also stipulates training requirements for school staff and provides a mechanism to report stock epinephrine use to a centralized database. </div>
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I'm going to be attending a formal bill-signing event with Governor Quinn this Wednesday and hopefully I'll be able to take some pictures. Regardless, I want to say thanks to everybody out there advocating for children with food allergy--whether it be via your emails, phone calls, or private conversations--every bit makes a difference. </div>
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Also, t<a href="http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/fulltext.asp?DocName=&SessionId=85&GA=98&DocTypeId=HB&DocNum=5892&GAID=12&LegID=&SpecSess=&Session">he entire text of the bill is found here</a>, and it's surprisingly easy to read (for a legal document), so take a look if you're interested. </div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0