Asian Nurs Res.  2012 Sep;6(3):102-106.

Time Trends of Allergic Rhinitis and Effects of Residence on Allergic Rhinitis in Korea From 1998 Through 2007-2009

• Myong JP
• Kim H
• Lee K
• Chang S

Abstract

PURPOSE
Longitudinal changes in the prevalence of self-reported physician-diagnosed allergic rhinitis (AR) in Korea and the association between the prevalence of AR and type of residence area among Korean males and females in 1998, 2001, 2005 and 2007-2009 were evaluated.
METHODS
Age-standardized prevalence was calculated using the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) I-IV. Stratified factors of sex, age, and socioeconomic status were adjusted to compare the prevalence of AR in relation to residential area by multiple logistic analysis.
RESULTS
The prevalence of AR increased by tenfolds from 1.2 % in 1998 to 12.0 % in 2007-2009. The trends for prevalence of AR were also statistically significant (p < .05). The age-standardized prevalence of AR among urban females was higher (13.9%) than that in rural females (11.5%). After adjustment for survey years, age, socioeconomic levels and asthma, the odds of AR were higher in urban than rural residents, except for males in 1998.
CONCLUSION
The prevalence of AR in Korea has increased over the past decade, and living in an urban area may be a susceptible factor. For prevention and management of AR, further evaluations of contributing factors and mechanisms underlying differences in AR are needed.

Keyword

allergic rhinitis; health surveys; prevalence; urbanization

MeSH Terms

Asthma
Female
Health Surveys
Humans
Korea
Male
Nutrition Surveys
Prevalence
Rhinitis
Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial
Social Class
Urbanization