Allergy and Anaphylaxis Preparedness in Oregon Public School Districts

Laws surrounding the management of allergies and anaphylaxis in American schools vary by state, and there is limited information regarding the effectiveness of school allergy response policies both between and within states. The objective of this study was to qualitatively compare allergy preparedness within a sample of six Oregon public school districts and to further understand the possible impact of community poverty on school allergy management. A questionnaire was sent to one school nurse in each district and collected information regarding allergy preparedness and response protocols within their district's elementary schools. Via a heat map, we observed heterogeneity in multiple aspects of allergy preparedness between districts including differences in access to undesignated adrenaline autoinjectors, staff training frequency, and types of staff undergoing allergy training. We found that less than 50% of students with severe allergies kept their own adrenaline autoinjector or an allergy action plan from a healthcare provider at school. Our study suggests variability in allergy management between districts which raises concerns surrounding health equity. Elementary schools in lower-resource communities may be particularly vulnerable to under preparedness.