Prevalence of allergic diseases and influencing factors in primary-school children in the Ankara region of Turkey

We have studied the prevalence of atopic disease, by questionnaire, in 3024 primary-school children from three different socioeconomic levels in Ankara. Physical examinations were also performed on these children. The cumulative prevalence of asthma, allergic rhinitis, allergic conjunctivitis, and atopic eczema was 6.9%, 11.7%, 4.6%, and 2.6%, respectively. Allergic rhinitis was more common in children older than 10 years. Most of the symptoms of asthmatic patients began in the first 3 years of life. The cumulative prevalence of allergic diseases was 23.4%. This study has estimated the prevalence of allergic diseases, including asthma, allergic rhinitis, allergic conjunctivitis, and allergic dermatitis, in the Ankara region of Turkey.