Over three million Swedes are reported to suffer from some form of allergy. However, knowledge within healthcare varies and in several regions there is a shortage of specialist doctors in allergic diseases. This is stated by the National Board of Health and Welfare, which has for the first time produced national guidelines in this area.
Today's allergy care is unequal. Access to expertise and correct diagnostics varies greatly between regions, says Peter Nygren, project manager at the National Board of Health and Welfare.
The shortcomings affect patients' chances of receiving the right care, and many with severe allergies risk missing out on effective treatments, he says.
Today, in many cases we have the ability to actually cure allergies and not just relieve the symptoms. If we can provide this treatment, it has a positive impact on quality of life, and it also reduces the burden of disease; patients simply become healthier and do not need to seek care as often.
Immunotherapy
Among other things, more allergy sufferers should be offered advanced treatments, according to the new guidelines. This could include oral immunotherapy for children with severe peanut allergies, where the children are given very small, gradually increasing doses of peanut protein under controlled conditions.
Peanut allergy is one of the most common food allergies and it causes great suffering. It is a constant concern for both children and adults with peanut allergy, but also for parents and others around them.
“There is a gap”
According to the National Board of Health and Welfare, more people should also be offered allergen immunotherapy for severe pollen and mite allergies, where treatment with medication does not help. In this case, the body is gradually exposed through regular injections or daily tablets over several years.
When it comes to allergies to birch, grass and mites, significantly more people could be offered tablets, according to Peter Nygren.
Approximately 100,000 children and adults are eligible for this type, and today around 22,000 people are being treated. There is a gap of 80,000 per year who could receive this if the tablet form is also used.
Facts: New guidelines on allergy care
The National Board of Health and Welfare has for the first time produced national guidelines on allergy care, which the authority says is unequal in Sweden. Among other things, there is a shortage of allergists, specialists in allergic diseases, in several regions.
The guidelines aim to help healthcare providers prioritize and allocate resources. They focus on, among other things, food allergies, atopic dermatitis, pollen and fur animal allergies, and drug allergies.
The National Board of Health and Welfare emphasizes, among other things, the importance of early interventions in healthcare, regular follow-ups and better support for self-care.
The agency also recommends that more patients be offered advanced treatments, such as oral immunotherapy for children with severe peanut allergy, allergen immunotherapy for pollen and mite allergies, and systemic treatment for more severe atopic eczema.
Source: National Board of Health and Welfare
What is commonly called allergies actually encompasses various diseases. What they have in common is that the immune system is involved, and that the substance to which the person reacts is generally harmless to those who are not allergic.
Allergy is one of the most common chronic diseases and 35 percent of Swedes are said to be affected.
Allergens (substances that can trigger allergic reactions) are found, for example, in pollen, mites, fur animals and certain foods. Eczema and food allergies often start early, while asthma and allergic rhinitis often appear at school age or later in childhood.
Severe peanut allergies in children can be treated with oral immunotherapy, where children are given very small, gradually increasing doses of peanut protein under controlled conditions. In severe allergies to pollen, fur animals, mites and certain foods, allergen immunotherapy may be appropriate. This involves gradually exposing the body to a specific allergen through regular injections or daily tablets.
Source: National Board of Health and Welfare
