ATOPY IN CHILDREN AND PARENTAL SOCIAL-CLASS

Objectives. This analysis was conducted to determine whether atopic di sorders were related to social class in a pediatric population of a fo rmer socialist country. Methods. A cross-sectional study of 2471 schoo lchildren was carried out in 1992 and 1993 in 3 towns in the former Ea st Germany. Parents completed a standardized questionnaire regarding h ealth events and lifestyle factors. In addition, skin-prick tests were performed and total serum immunoglobulin (IEE) was determined. Result s, Lifetime prevalence rates for atopic diseases and rates of allergic sensitization were highest in children fi om social class III (in whi ch parents had more than 10 years of formal education) and lowest in s ocial class I (less than 10 years of parental education), while rates in social class II (10 years of parental education) were constant at a n intermediate level. Conclusions. The data confirmed the assumption t hat in formerly socialist countries social inequalities existed under the socialist system, which were reflected by a social gradient in hea lth outcomes. The findings support the hypothesis that increased acces s to modem lifestyle could be one reason for the increasing rates of a topic disorders during the last 3 decades.