(Un)Awareness of Allergy

World Allergy Organization Journal

Dane Ediger⁷  Figen Gulen⁶  Cengiz Kirmaz¹  Hasan Yuksel⁸  Nevin Uzuner⁹  Demet Can³  Ismail Reisli⁵  Ahmet Akcay²  Ilkay Koca Kalkan⁴  A Fusun Kalpaklioglu⁴ 

[1] Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Immunology and Allergy, Celal Bayar Medical Faculty, Manisa, Turkey;Department of Pediatrics, Division of Allergy and Chest Diseases, Gaziantep University Hospital, Gaziantep, Turkey;Department of Pediatric Allergy, Behcet Uz Child Disease and Surgery Education and Research Hospital, Izmir, Turkey;Department of Immunology and Allergic Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, Kirikkale University, Kirikkale, Turkey;Department of Pediatric Immunology and Allergy, Meram Medical Faculty, Selcuk University, Konya, Turkey;Department of Pediatrics, Division of Allergy and Pulmonology, Aegean University School of Medicine, Izmir, Turkey;Department of Allergic Chest Diseases, Uludag University Medical Faculty, Bursa, Turkey;Department of Pediatric Allergy and Pulmonology, Celal Bayar Medical Faculty, Manisa, Turkey;Department of Pediatric Allergy, Dokuz Eylül University, Izmir, Turkey

关键词: treatment;    symptom;    diagnosis;    awareness;    asthma;    allergy;   

Others  :  1145536
DOI  :  10.1097/WOX.0b013e31823842bc

【 摘 要 】

Background

Allergy is associated with considerable morbidity.

Objective

The aim of this multicenter study was to provide insight into allergy knowledge and perceptions among the population.

Methods

During the World Allergy Day, several allergy clinics conducted public meetings to encourage the awareness of and education in allergy. At the beginning, participants filled out a questionnaire to assess their knowledge about what is allergy and to determine by whom those symptoms are cared.

Results

A total of 256 participants (187 women/69 men, mean age, 31.2 ± 12.5 years) completed the survey. Of the 202 participants with symptoms, 58.9% had physician-diagnosed allergic disease. Among the 19 symptoms evaluated, 56.5% of the symptoms were recognized as related with allergy, and this increased in compliance with education level (r = +0.427; P < 0.001) but not with diagnosed allergy (P = 0.34). Sneezing was the most common symptom thought to be related with allergy-related symptom (77.5%), whereas loss of smell was the least one (37.9%). Participants were more likely to be cared by an allergologist (72.9%) followed by other specialties, when experiencing allergy.

Conclusions

Increasing the awareness for allergic symptoms is the key not only for the diagnosis but also for the optimal treatment. Therefore, education is an important component of prevention and control of allergic diseases.

【 授权许可】

   
2011 World Allergy Organization; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

【 图 表 】

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