This study examined food allergy accommodation practices and policies in colleges and universities (CU) using a two-phase explanatory sequential mixed methods design. Seventy-six (22.2% response) foodservice professionals responded to a national survey; 11 of whom participated in follow-up interviews. Most (74%) questionnaire participants reported departmental level food allergy policies existed at their institutions while 34% of participants reported presence of institutional level policies. Differences in the likelihood of published policies existed according to institutional demographic characteristics (e.g. institution type, foodservice management type), however findings suggest variability in CU foodservice professionals’ approaches to accommodations, regardless of policy presence.
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/susan_arendt/59/
This accepted article is published as Abdelmassih, K, Rajagopal, L. and Arendt, S. A mixed methods approach to examining food allergy accommodation efforts in college and universities. Journal of Foodservice Management and Education, 10(2), 26-34. Posted with permission.