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Asthma and allergic rhinitis in Swedish conscripts
Author(s) -
ÅBERG N.
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
clinical and experimental allergy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.462
H-Index - 154
eISSN - 1365-2222
pISSN - 0954-7894
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2222.1989.tb02345.x
Subject(s) - asthma , medicine , cohort , prevalence , epidemiology , allergy , demography , environmental health , pediatrics , immunology , sociology
Summary The computer records of Swedish conscript examinations in 1971 and 1981 were analysed regarding the prevalence of asthma and allergic rhinitis. The material comprised ∼ 55 000 18‐year‐old males in each cohort. During the 10‐year period the prevalence of asthma increased from 1.9 to 2.8% and of allergic rhinitis from 4.4 to 8.4%. The prevalence of allergic rhinitis was already higher in the northern than in the southern part of the country in 1971. The increase in both diseases was higher in the northern parts of Sweden, giving double prevalence figures in the northern part of the country compared to the southern part in 1981. The distribution of the prevalence was similar to the temperature pattern in the country, the higher prevalence being associated with a colder outdoor climate. Both diseases were more prevalent in urban than in rural areas.