#64 Understanding Barriers in Food Allergy Care with Dr. Linda Jones Herbert and Dr. Hemant Sharma

Send us Fan MailFood allergy care does not exist in a vacuum, and neither do the families managing it.In this episode, pediatric psychologist Dr. Linda Jones Herbert and pediatric allergist Dr. Hemant Sharma from Children’s National Hospital join the conversation to explore how disparities in food allergy diagnosis, treatment access, and outcomes are shaped by psychosocial and systemic factors.We discuss insights so far from the FORWARD study about how stress, culture, language, and resources impact allergy management in underserved communities, and what it means when families are underrepresented in oral immunotherapy research and access. Dr. Herbert also shares her work on the GAP study, which examines global access to psychological care for individuals and families managing food allergies.This episode is a call to move beyond assumptions and toward allergy care that is culturally responsive, equitable, and grounded in real-world context.Links:Food Allergy Stages handouts:https://www.aaaai.org/tools-for-the-public/conditions-library/allergies/food-allergy-stages-handoutshttps://www.aaaai.org/Aaaai/media/Media-Library-PDFs/Allergist%20Resources/Statements%20and%20Practice%20Parameters/Addressing-Health-Disparities-in-Food-Allergy-position-statement-Jan-2025.pdfSpecial thanks to Kyle Dine for permission to use his song The Doghouse for the podcast theme!www.kyledine.comFind Dr. Whitehouse:-thefoodallergypsychologist.com-Instagram: @thefoodallergypsychologist-Facebook: Dr. Amanda Whitehouse, Food Allergy Anxiety [email protected]