Prevalence Of Asthma And Allergic Disorders Among Children In Duzce, Turkey: ISAAC Phase One

Abstract

Background: Allergic conditions, especially asthma, seem to be increasingly common worldwide. The International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) was designed to allow comparisons between populations in different country. According to the series of ISAAC written questionnaires, it has been reported that there has been an increase in the prevalence of asthma and other atopic disorders in the world. As developing countries adopt an industrialized style of living, an increase in asthma prevalence can be expected. The development of asthma is determined by complex interactions between genetic and environmental factors. This cross-section study was undertaken to evaluate the prevalence of asthma, asthma-related symptoms and allergic disorders in childhood in the city of Duzce-Turkey. Methods: In total, 2330 ISAAC standardized questionnaires were completed by doctors questioning the mothers of children suffering from asthma or asthma-related symptoms. All children aged 6-16 years were included in this study. Results: At the end of the study, the prevalence of childhood asthma diagnosed by physicians in Duzce was 6.4%, allergic rhinitis was 3.35% and eczema was 2.8%; these percentages were compared with other cities in Turkey and other countries. In the asthma group, prevalence rates of asthma were significantly higher in boys than in girls. The prevalence of asthma-related symptoms and, in addition, living conditions affecting prevalence of asthma was evaluated in this survey. Conclusions: This survey shows that the variability in prevalence of childhood asthma between different countries is also seen in the different cities of Turkey. Turkey has different geographic regions, and thus the variability in prevalence is likely due to environmental factors.