ABSTRACT
Risk of anaphylaxis is growing at an unprecedented rate. Patients that are diagnosed as being at risk of anaphylaxis are advised to carry an Adrenaline Auto-Injector (AAI) with them at all times, to enable rapid treatment of this condition. Failure to receive adrenaline soon after anaphylaxis is known to put the patient at serious risk of fatality. However, existing evidence suggests that only a small proportion of patients that require adrenaline as a result of anaphylaxis actually receive it. Furthermore, patients that have been prescribed AAIs are known not to comply with medical advice to carry the device on their person at all times. Although no studies appear to have been carried out to explore in detail the reasons why patients fail to comply with medical advice, some existing research findings from closely related studies indicate that the design features, such as the size of the device may be in part responsible for this lack of compliance.
