Open Access, Peer-reviewed
pISSN 2288-0402
eISSN 2288-0410
    Allergy Asthma Respir Dis. 2015 Jan;3(1):62-69. Korean.
    Published online Jan 31, 2015.
    https://doi.org/10.4168/aard.2015.3.1.62
    © 2015 The Korean Academy of Pediatric Allergy and Respiratory Disease; The Korean Academy of Asthma, Allergy and Clinical Immunology
    Original Article

    Analysis of regional prevalence of allergic diseases in Korean school children

    Yeonhee Lee,1 Jaehee Choi,1,2 Mi-Ran Park,1,2 Jihyun Kim,1,2 Woo Kyung Kim,3 Yong Mean Park,4 So-Yeon Lee,5 Man Young Han,6 Yoomi Chae,7 Myung-Il Ham,8 Kee-Jae Lee,9 Ho-Jang Kwon,10 and Kangmo Ahn1,2
      • 1Department of Pediatrics, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
      • 2Environmental Health Center for Atopic Diseases, Samsung Medical Center, Seoul, Korea.
      • 3Department of Pediatrics, Inje University Seoul Paik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
      • 4Department of Pediatrics, Konkuk University Medical Center, Konkuk University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
      • 5Department of Pediatrics, Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University College of Medicine, Anyang, Korea.
      • 6Department of Pediatrics, CHA Bundang Medical Center, CHA University School of Medicine, Seongnam, Korea.
      • 7Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Dankook University College of Medicine, Cheonan, Korea.
      • 8Department of Health Administration and Management, College of Medical Science, Soonchunhyang University, Asan, Korea.
      • 9Department of Information and Statistics, Korea National Open University, Seoul, Korea.
      • 10Department of Preventive Medicine, Dankook University College of Medicine, Cheonan, Korea.
    • Correspondence to: Kangmo Ahn. Department of Pediatrics, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, 81 Irwon-ro, Gangnam-gu, Seoul 135-710, Korea. Tel: +82-2-3410-3539, Fax: +82-2-3410-0043, Email: kmaped@skku.edu
    Received July 08, 2014; Revised October 07, 2014; Accepted October 11, 2014.

    This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/).

    Abstract

    Purpose

    This study aimed to analyze the prevalence of allergic diseases in Korean schoolchildren according to their residential areas in 2010.

    Methods

    A nationwide, cross-sectional study was conducted in children aged 6-7 years (n=4,003) and adolescents aged 12-13 years (n=4,112) who were randomly selected. Demographic and disease-related information was obtained through a Korean version of ISAAC (International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood) questionnaire, and skin prick tests for 18 inhalant allergens were performed.

    Results

    There was statistically significant regional difference in the prevalence of allergic rhinitis (AR) (P<0.05). The regions with highest and lowest prevalence in 12- to 13-year-old children were as follows: Chungcheong and Honam in "Diagnosis of AR, ever" (33.7% vs. 24.5%), Jeju and Yeongnam in "Treatment of AR, last 12 months" (25.5% vs. 18.0%), Chungcheong and Yeongnam in "Rhinitis with sensitization" (31.6% vs. 23.6%). The regions with highest and lowest prevalence in 6-7 years old children were as follows: Yeongnam and Seoul in "Diagnosis of AR, ever" (42.1% vs. 31.0%), Yeongnam and Jeju in "Treatment of AR, last 12 months" (31.8% vs. 21.9%), Jeju and Seoul in "Rhinitis with sensitization" (26.0% vs. 18.4%). We also found a regional difference in inhalant allergens among the children with "rhinitis with sensitization"

    Conclusion

    The prevalence of AR in children differs according to residential areas in a nationwide survey in 2010 while there is no significant regional difference in the prevalence of asthma and AD.

    Keywords
    Asthma; Allergic rhinitis; Atopic dermatitis; Prevalence; Child

    Figures

    Fig. 1
    Sensitization rate to inhalant allergens according to residential areas in children aged 6-7 years (A-C) and 12-13 years (D-F) with "rhinitis with sensitization". Data on indoor allergens (A, D) are presented, while the distribution of sensitization to tree pollen and grass pollen (B, E) along with weed pollen and fungi (C, F) are shown as well. *P<0.05. Der p, Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus; Der f, Dermatophagoides farina; Tyro p, Tyrophagus putrescentiae.

    Tables

    Table 1
    Demographic characteristics of study population

    Table 2
    Prevalence of allergic diseases in elementary school children (6 to 7 years)

    Table 3
    Prevalence of allergic diseases in middle school children (12 to 13 years)

    Notes

    This study was funded by the Korean Center for Disease Control and Prevention (2010E3303400).

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    MeSH Terms
    Adolescent
    Allergens
    Asthma
    Child*
    Cross-Sectional Studies
    Dermatitis, Atopic
    Humans
    Hypersensitivity
    Prevalence*
    Rhinitis
    Seoul
    Skin
    Surveys and Questionnaires
    Metrics
    Share
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    Tables
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