The health seeking behaviours of People with food allergies

Abstract

Studies on how food allergies impact the quality of life of those affected have been mostly conducted in Western countries, only a few studies have been conducted in Africa, This research sought to understand the health-seeking behaviours of young people with food allergies in South Africa. The research employs a qualitative methodology that included auto-ethnography and semi-structured, open-ended interviews conducted with a group of eleven students from the University of the Witwatersrand. Through autoethnography, the researcher's own experience as somebody affected by food allergy is shared to facilitate eliciting the experience of the students. The focus on youth that is in transition from being dependents into adulthood allows exploring issues of self-care. The findings of this study revealed that in face of a failure on the part of biomedicine to provide a cure for this condition health-seeking behaviours are influenced by social and cultural factors, including gender and economic factors. The lack of accurate diagnosis and effective treatment fuels different interpretations and help-seeking behaviours. These become especially interesting in the context of a diverse country such as South Africa.