Training tools and EHR prompts boosted pediatricians’ adherence to early peanut introduction guidelines in a new trial.
Simple interventions improve pediatrician adherence to peanut allergy prevention guidelines | Image Credit: © Stepan Popov - stock.adobe.com.
Since 2017, the US Addendum Guidelines for the Prevention of Peanut Allergy have encouraged clinicians to introduce peanut-containing foods to infants aged 4 to 6 months to reduce the risk of peanut allergy (PA). Despite these recommendations, guideline adherence among pediatricians has remained low.1,2
The iREACH trial was a practice-based, cluster-randomized study involving 30 pediatric practices across the Chicago and Peoria, Illinois, regions, including federally qualified health centers, private clinics, and academic practices.
Clinician adherence definitions:
The results demonstrated a significant improvement in adherence among intervention practices:
Lead author Ruchi Gupta, MD, MPH, professor of pediatrics and medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and pediatrician at Lurie Children’s, emphasized the importance of structural supports for busy practices:
“We found that supporting pediatricians with training, electronic health record prompts and educational materials for parents significantly improved their ability to counsel families on early peanut introduction,” said Gupta.
She added, “Because pediatric visits at 4 and 6 months are so busy, this support is critical to ensure families receive clear guidance. Our hope is that these conversations will help parents feel confident introducing peanut products early. We want to reverse the trend of increasing food allergies in the United States through prevention.”
Lucy Bilaver, PhD, associate professor of pediatrics at Feinberg and lead statistician for the study, highlighted the use of EHR data. “We were able to measure the primary outcome by making use of the clinical notes and structured data that pediatric clinicians generate during these well-child visits,” she said.
The study underscores that low-cost, easy-to-implement interventions can significantly improve pediatrician adherence to peanut allergy prevention guidelines.
Gupta noted, “While more work is needed, the success of this intervention supports wider dissemination to prevent peanut allergy in children.”
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