Journal List > Pediatr Allergy Respir Dis > v.22(4) > 1033197

Kim, Park, Yu, Lee, Lee, Suh, Kim, Han, Lee, and Ahn: Prevalence and Risk Factors of Asthma and Allergic Rhinitis in Elementary School Children in Jinan-Gun

Abstract

Purpose

The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence and risk factors associated with asthma and allergic rhinitis in rural elementary school children.

Methods

Children in 12 elementary schools in Jinan-gun, Jeollabuk-do, a typical rural area in Korea, were enrolled. We conducted cross-sectional survey using a Korean version of International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) questionnaire.

Results

A total of 947 questionnaires out of 1,062 were completed and the response rate was 89.1%. The symptom prevalence of asthma and allergic rhinitis (AR) in the last 12 months was 7.4% and 28.1%. The prevalence of physician-diagnosed asthma and AR was 7.2% and 22.2%. Male, passive smoking, visible mold at home, and use of antibiotics during infancy more than 3 times were associated with higher prevalence of asthma diagnosis (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 2.35, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.30 to 4.26; aOR 2.49, 95% CI 1.38 to 4.48; aOR 2.19, 95% CI 1.23 to 3.89; and aOR 8.45, 95% CI 4.23 to 16.59). Parental history of allergic diseases, children without siblings, use of antibiotics during infancy more than 3 times were associated with higher prevalence of AR (aOR 4.89, 95% CI 3.37 to 7.10; aOR 5.20, 95% CI 2.38 to 11.35; and aOR 2.39, 95% CI 1.36 to 4.19).

Conclusion

In Jinan-gun, the symptom prevalence of asthma and AR in the last 12 months was 7.4% and 28.1%. The environmental factors such as passive smoking, visible mold at home, use of antibiotics during infancy and number of siblings are associated with asthma and allergic rhinitis.

Figures and Tables

Table 1
Characteristics of Study Populations
pard-22-374-i001

Values are presented as no. of elementary school students (%).

KRW, Korean Won (the currency of South Korea).

Table 2
Prevalence of Asthma and Allergic Rhinitis in Students in Jinan (n=947)
pard-22-374-i002

Values are presented as number (%).

Table 3
Risk Factor Analysis for Asthma in Children
pard-22-374-i003

UVA, univariable analysis; MVA, multivariable analysis; OR, Adjusted odds ratio; CI, confidence interval.

Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to assess the relationship between asthma all and parameters.

OR was adjusted by sex, age, parental history of allergic disease.

Table 4
Risk Factor Analysis for Allergic Rhinitis in Children
pard-22-374-i004

UVA, univariable analysis; MVA, multivariable analysis; OR, Adjusted odds ratio; CI, confidence interval.

Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to assess the relationship between allergic rhinitis and all parameters.

OR was adjusted by age, sex, parental history of allergic disease.

References

1. Asher MI, Montefort S, Bjorksten B, Lai CK, Strachan DP, Weiland SK, et al. Worldwide time trends in the prevalence of symptoms of asthma, allergic rhinoconjunctivitis, and eczema in childhood: ISAAC Phases One and Three repeat multicountry cross-sectional surveys. Lancet. 2006. 368:733–743.
crossref
2. Asher MI, Weiland SK. ISAAC Steering Committee. The International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC). Clin Exp Allergy. 1998. 28:Suppl 5. 52–66.
crossref
3. Lee SI, Shin MH, Lee HB, Lee JS, Son BK, Koh YY, et al. Prevalences of symptoms of asthma and other allergic diseases in korean children: a nationwide questionnaire survey. J Korean Med Sci. 2001. 16:155–164.
crossref
4. Jee HM, Kim KW, Kim CS, Sohn MH, Shin DC, Kim KE. Prevalence of asthma, rhinitis and eczema in Korean children using the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) Questionnaires. Pediatr Allergy Respir Dis. 2009. 19:165–172.
5. Hong SJ, Lee MS, Sohn MH, Shim JY, Han YS, Park KS, et al. Self-reported prevalence and risk factors of asthma among Korean adolescents: 5-year follow-up study, 1995-2000. Clin Exp Allergy. 2004. 34:1556–1562.
crossref
6. Lee SI. Prevalence of childhood asthma in Korea: international study of asthma and allergies in childhood. Allergy Asthma Immunol Res. 2010. 2:61–64.
crossref
7. Kim EJ, Kim HO, Park YM. A study on quality of life and economic burden in Korean patients with atopic dermatitis and their parents. Korean J Dermatol. 2008. 46:160–170.
8. Genuneit J. Exposure to farming environments in childhood and asthma and wheeze in rural populations: a systematic review with meta-analysis. Pediatr Allergy Immunol. 2012. 23:509–518.
crossref
9. Lodge CJ, Allen KJ, Lowe AJ, Hill DJ, Hosking CS, Abramson MJ, et al. Perinatal cat and dog exposure and the risk of asthma and allergy in the urban environment: a systematic review of longitudinal studies. Clin Dev Immunol. 2012. 2012:176484.
crossref
10. Marra F, Marra CA, Richardson K, Lynd LD, Kozyrskyj A, Patrick DM, et al. Antibiotic use in children is associated with increased risk of asthma. Pediatrics. 2009. 123:1003–1010.
crossref
11. Montefort S, Ellul P, Montefort M, Caruana S, Grech V, Agius Muscat H. The effect of cigarette smoking on allergic conditions in Maltese children (ISAAC). Pediatr Allergy Immunol. 2012. 23:472–478.
crossref
12. Jeong SH, Kim JH, Son BK, Hong SC, Kim SY, Lee GH, et al. Comparison of air pollution and the prevalence of allergy-related diseases in Incheon and Jeju City. Korean J Pediatr. 2011. 54:501–506.
crossref
13. Lee SY, Kwon JW, Seo JH, Song YH, Kim BJ, Yu J, et al. Prevalence of atopy and allergic diseases in Korean children: associations with a farming environment and rural lifestyle. Int Arch Allergy Immunol. 2012. 158:168–174.
crossref
14. Morcos MM, Morcos WM, Ibrahim MA, Shaheen MA. Environmental exposure to endotoxin in rural and urban Egyptian school children and its relation to asthma and atopy. Minerva Pediatr. 2011. 63:19–26.
15. Downs SH, Marks GB, Mitakakis TZ, Leuppi JD, Car NG, Peat JK. Having lived on a farm and protection against allergic diseases in Australia. Clin Exp Allergy. 2001. 31:570–575.
crossref
16. Jinan Country Office. The Jinan statistical yearbook 2010 [Internet]. c2012. cited 2012 Jun 11. Jinan: Jinan Country Office;Available from: http://www.jinan.go.kr/board/list.sko?boardId=ADb01&menuCd=MM04002001000&contentsSid115.
17. Choi SW, Ju YS, Kim DS, Kim JY, Kwon HJ, Kang DH, et al. Reliability and validity of the Korean Version of ISAAC Questionnaire. Korean J Prev Med. 1998. 31:361–371.
18. Aberg N. Asthma and allergic rhinitis in Swedish conscripts. Clin Exp Allergy. 1989. 19:59–63.
crossref
19. Riedler J, Eder W, Oberfeld G, Schreuer M. Austrian children living on a farm have less hay fever, asthma and allergic sensitization. Clin Exp Allergy. 2000. 30:194–200.
crossref
20. Von Ehrenstein OS, Von Mutius E, Illi S, Baumann L, Bohm O, von Kries R. Reduced risk of hay fever and asthma among children of farmers. Clin Exp Allergy. 2000. 30:187–193.
crossref
21. von Mutius E, Vercelli D. Farm living: effects on childhood asthma and allergy. Nat Rev Immunol. 2010. 10:861–868.
crossref
22. Ma Y, Zhao J, Han ZR, Chen Y, Leung TF, Wong GW. Very low prevalence of asthma and allergies in schoolchildren from rural Beijing, China. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2009. 44:793–799.
crossref
23. Viinanen A, Munhbayarlah S, Zevgee T, Narantsetseg L, Naidansuren Ts, Koskenvuo M, et al. The protective effect of rural living against atopy in Mongolia. Allergy. 2007. 62:272–280.
crossref
24. Strachan DP. Hay fever, hygiene, and household size. BMJ. 1989. 299:1259–1260.
crossref
25. Wickens K, Ingham T, Epton M, Pattemore P, Town I, Fishwick D, et al. The association of early life exposure to antibiotics and the development of asthma, eczema and atopy in a birth cohort: confounding or causality? Clin Exp Allergy. 2008. 38:1318–1324.
crossref
26. Kusel MM, de Klerk N, Holt PG, Sly PD. Antibiotic use in the first year of life and risk of atopic disease in early childhood. Clin Exp Allergy. 2008. 38:1921–1928.
crossref
27. Droste JH, Wieringa MH, Weyler JJ, Nelen VJ, Vermeire PA, Van Bever HP. Does the use of antibiotics in early childhood increase the risk of asthma and allergic disease? Clin Exp Allergy. 2000. 30:1547–1553.
crossref
28. Celedon JC, Fuhlbrigge A, Rifas-Shiman S, Weiss ST, Finkelstein JA. Antibiotic use in the first year of life and asthma in early childhood. Clin Exp Allergy. 2004. 34:1011–1016.
crossref
29. Karmaus W, Botezan C. Does a higher number of siblings protect against the development of allergy and asthma? A review. J Epidemiol Community Health. 2002. 56:209–217.
crossref
30. Harris JM, White C, Moffat S, Mills P, Newman Taylor AJ, Cullinan P. New pregnancies and loss of allergy. Clin Exp Allergy. 2004. 34:369–372.
crossref
31. Motika CA, Papachristou C, Abney M, Lester LA, Ober C. Rising prevalence of asthma is sex-specific in a US farming population. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2011. 128:774–779.
crossref
32. Ghosh S, Pahwa P, Rennie DC, Janzen B. Gender-related interactive effect of smoking and rural/urban living on asthma prevalence: a longitudinal Canadian NPHS study. J Asthma. 2009. 46:988–994.
crossref
33. Burke H, Leonardi-Bee J, Hashim A, Pine-Abata H, Chen Y, Cook DG, et al. Prenatal and passive smoke exposure and incidence of asthma and wheeze: systematic review and meta-analysis. Pediatrics. 2012. 129:735–744.
crossref
34. Jaakkola JJ, Hwang BF, Jaakkola N. Home dampness and molds, parental atopy, and asthma in childhood: a six-year population-based cohort study. Environ Health Perspect. 2005. 113:357–361.
crossref
35. Reponen T, Lockey J, Bernstein DI, Vesper SJ, Levin L, Khurana Hershey GK, et al. Infant origins of childhood asthma associated with specific molds. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2012. 130:639–644.e5.
crossref
TOOLS
Similar articles