Abstract
Objective: This study aimed to investigate the current status, challenges, and future directions of oral food challenge (OFC) in Hiroshima prefecture.
Methods: A web-based survey was conducted targeting all 258 members of the Hiroshima Prefecture Pediatric Association.
Results: The response rate was 49.6%. Among respondents, 63% were private practitioners, and 34% were hospital-based physicians. OFC was conducted in their own facilities by 41.1% of respondents (implementation group), while 21.9% expressed a desire to perform it if conditions permitted (aspiration group), and 36.7% did not perform it at all. Hospital-based physicians tended to target for OFC more severe cases or higher specific IgE antibody cases compared to private practitioners. Among the implementation and aspiration groups, 67% preferred a broader implementation of OFC according to risk levels.
Conclusion: Private practitioners tended to follow individual criteria when conducting OFC, while hospital-based physicians often faced situations where they had to conduct tests regardless of their experience or the severity of cases. The future of OFC in Hiroshima Prefecture should focus on stratification strategies for both patients and healthcare providers.
