PREVALENCE AND RISK-FACTORS OF CHILDHOOD ASTHMA, RHINITIS AND ECZEMA IN HONG-KONG

Objective: To assess the prevalence and risk factors of childhood asth ma and allergies in Hong Kong and compare with that in Singapore and G reat Britain. Methodology: Parents of 3618 randomly selected 6- to 7-y ear-old children responded to a questionnaire prepared by the Internat ional Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) together with supplementary questions on risk factors. Results: The 12-month preval ences of wheezing, rhinitis symptoms and itchy rash were 9.2%, 35.1% a nd 4.2%, respectively. Wheezing in the past year was significantly ass ociated with rhinitis symptoms in the past year, itchy rash in the pas t year, rhinitis interfering with daily activities moderately or sever ely, kept awake by itchy rash in the past year, parental wheezing (one or both parents), frequent upper respiratory tract infections (URTI), born in Hong Kong and male sex. For girls, the prevalence of wheezing in the past year was lowest when they were born in July/August and hi ghest when born in January/February.Conclusions: The prevalence of all ergic disorders in Hong Kong was comparable to that in Singapore and G reat Britain. Several potential risk factors such as parental wheezing , frequent URTI, born in Hong Kong, male sex and month of birth in gir ls were identified.