Food Allergy Policy and the Popular Press

Abstract

Issues in policy development for allergy and anaphylaxis have been gaining more attention among both policy makers and the general public. The media can play an important role both in framing allergy issues for the general public and in the policy-making process. As such, an exploration of media representations can provide valuable insight that can inform policy and communication strategies. The authors conducted a content analysis of Canadian newspaper articles to elicit information about the portrayal of laws and policies to address food allergy and anaphylaxis. The authors gathered information on types of policies, support or evidence provided for policies, and whether the overall theme of an article was in support or opposition to a policy. Results indicated that, in general, the media portrayed laws and/or policy proposals to address food allergy-related issues in a supportive manner, but policies that limit individual choice, such as allergy-related food bans, drew more criticism and debate.