Interreg Il-Euregional surveys on chronic respiratory diseases in childrenin the German-Dutch borderland

Aim of the study: In Westelijke Mijnstreek (WM), Midden-Limburg (ML), both The Netherlands, and Kreis Heinsberg (HS), Germany, the relationship betwee n quality of the indoor environment and respiratory symptoms in children wa s studied, finally resulting in proposals for prevention of respiratory sym ptoms in the three regions. This paper presents the results of the first pa rt of the study, investigating prevalences of respiratory complaints. Methods and results: A brief questionnaire was used to document prevalences of respiratory complaints, physicians diagnoses and treatment in about 7,0 00 children 5-6 resp. 7-8 years of age from HS, ML and WM, in 1995 and 1997 . Prevalences of respiratory symptoms differed slightly between the regions , but there were differences in physician-diagnosed asthma and bronchitis a nd treatment of the children. Perspectives: The brief questionnaire is a useful instrument to get an over view on respiratory symptoms. Since 1995, it is used by several German Muni cipal Health Services for Public Health Reports.