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Asthma and allergy in Russian and Norwegian schoolchildren: results from two questionnaire‐based studies in the Kola Peninsula, Russia, and northern Norway
Author(s) -
Selnes A.,
Odland J. Ø.,
Bolle R.,
Holt J.,
Dotterud L. K.,
Lund E.
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
allergy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.363
H-Index - 173
eISSN - 1398-9995
pISSN - 0105-4538
DOI - 10.1034/j.1398-9995.2001.00640.x
Subject(s) - norwegian , medicine , asthma , allergy , atopic dermatitis , pediatrics , epidemiology , demography , immunology , philosophy , linguistics , sociology
Background: Previous studies have shown that the prevalence of asthma and allergy in children is lower in Eastern than Western Europe. Methods: We have compared the prevalence of asthma, respiratory symptoms, allergic rhinoconjunctivitis, and atopic dermatitis in schoolchildren aged 7–13 years in a questionnaire‐based study conducted in the city of Nikel on the Kola Peninsula, Russia, in 1994 ( n =1143) and another conducted in northern Norway in 1995 ( n =8676). Results: The prevalence of diagnosed asthma was 5.1% in Russian children and 8.6% in Norwegian children; RR=0.58 (95% CI: 0.44–0.76). The prevalence of all respiratory symptoms was higher in Russian children. The prevalence of allergic rhinoconjunctivitis was 16.9% in Russian children and 22.1% in Norwegian children: RR=0.74 (95% CI: 0.65–0.85). The prevalence of atopic dermatitis was 7.4% in Russian children and 19.7% in Norwegian children; RR=0.38 (95% CI: 0.31–0.46).Conclusions: We conclude that the prevalence of diagnosed asthma, allergic rhinoconjunctivitis, and atopic dermatitis was higher in Norwegian than Russian schoolchildren. The higher prevalence of respiratory symptoms in Russian children probably reflects a higher prevalence of undiagnosed, nonallergic asthma.