Prevalence of Allergic Diseases and Their Environmental Triggers among Elementary School Children in Daejoen City

Abstract

The aim of the study was to investigate the association between allergic diseases and their factors in elementary school children living in Daejeon metropolitan region. A self-reported ISAAC (International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood) questionnaire survey for allergic diseases was conducted for students aged 8-10 years enrolled in 146 elementary schools in Daejeon, Korea. The questionnaire contained the children’s disease history, their family history, and their environmental risk factors. A total of 15,825 children participated in the study from May 2015 to July 2015. The data were analyzed using a Chi-square test and Logistic regression with SPSS 22.0. Allergic diseases' relating factors were secondhand smoking, filters of air-conditioning systems, frequency of cleaning, frequency of washing clothes, use of a humidifier. Therefore, it requires immediate investigation, education on proper management and improvement projects for the indoor environment.