A survey of atopic diseases among school children in Sør-Varanger community. Possible effects of subarctic climate and industrial pollution from Russia.

Abstract

The occurrence of atopic diseases in school children in the community of Sør-Varanger was studied on the basis of a questionnaire sent to the parents of all the 575 children aged 7-12 years. 551 children (95.8%), 266 girls and 285 boys, completed the questionnaire. Atopic diseases were reported to be present or to have occurred in 249 (45.2%) of the 551 children, more frequently in girls (50.4%) than in boys (40.4%) (p < 0.02). Asthma occurred in 68 cases (12.3%), with almost the same frequency in girls (13.2%) and boys (11.2%). Allergic rhinoconjunctivitis was detected in 113 children (20.6%) this increased to 48.0% with a single and to 56.1% with a double parental history.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)