The availability and cost of gluten-free food and their impact on coeliac disease
The only treatment for coeliac disease is a life-long gluten-free diet. This can be difficult as gluten-free food is not always easily available, and tends to be expensive. The availability and cost of gluten-free food varies across different regions. This study aims to understand how the availability and cost of gluten-free food impacts on people with coeliac disease.
The study has two phases:
- A large scale survey will be conducted to provide an overview of how people are impacted by differences in availability and cost of gluten-free food.
- Interviews will be carried out with some survey participants to gain a deeper understanding of this impact. The study will be conducted in different regions which will make it possible to draw comparisons between people living in different parts of England.
The results of the study will provide increased insight into the burden of following a gluten-free diet and any regional differences. This information will be valuable in determining how to best support people in the effective management of their condition.
Research team and funding
This research is being conducted by researchers in the Health Services Research Unit (HSRU) and Health Economics Research Centre (HERC) at the University of Oxford. The team includes Dr Michele Peters (Team Lead) and Helen Crocker (Research Officer). It is an 18 month project funded by Coeliac UK.
Further information about the study and the survey can be found in the Participant Information Sheet (PDF).