URBAN ASTHMA IN THE HOME-ENVIRONMENT

This study examines in urban area the housing conditions in asthma pat ients who called a first-aid association of doctors (SOS Medecins) and their relationships to symptoms. The patient population is compared w ith the non asthmatic population who called SOS Medecins during the sa me period. During the first six months of 1989, among 102,791 calls, 7 01 were related to acute asthma symptoms, and 100 non asthma patients were sorted at random as a control group. A telephonic questionnary ha s been carried out to asthmatic patients and to control group. A parti cular aspect of asthma in Paris is given in this study: the homogeneou s distribution of asthma attacks in the different districts of Paris, (with a light prevalence in three districts of the city). Sex, age, oc cupation were non discriminant and no significant difference was estab lished in housing conditions and indoor air pollution sources, between the two groups of asthma and non-asthma patients.