Allergy-related disorders (ARDs) among Ethiopian primary school-aged children: Prevalence and associated risk factors

• Published in: PloS one 2018-09, Vol.13 (9), p.e0204521-e0204521
• Main Authors: Mehanna, Nezar, Mohamed, Nader, Wordofa, Moges, Abera, Dessie, Mesfin, Abiyot, Wolde, Mistire, Desta, Kassu, Tsegaye, Aster, Taye, Bineyam
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Air pollution; Allergens; Allergies; Allergy; Analysis; Asthma; Atopy; Bacterial diseases; Bathing; Biology; Biology and Life Sciences; Blattella germanica; Children; Complications and side effects; Demographic variables; Demographics; Dermatitis; Developing countries; Disorders; Ecological risk assessment; Ectoparasites; Eczema; Elementary school students; Environmental pollution; Environmental risk; Environmental testing; Etiology; Farmers; Genetics; Health aspects; Hypersensitivity; Identification methods; Immunology; Infections; Insecticides; International studies; Intestinal parasites; Intestine; LDCs; Medical laboratories; Medicine and Health Sciences; Outdoor air quality; Parasites; Patient outcomes; People and Places; Population; Population (statistical); Prevalence studies (Epidemiology); Public health; Regression analysis; Rhinitis; Risk analysis; Risk factors; Rivers; Rural environments; Rural populations; Schools; Skin diseases; Skin tests; Social Sciences; Statistical analysis; Studies; Urbanization
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0204521

There has been a noticeable increase in the prevalence of allergy-related disorders (ARDs) in the modern era. Urbanization is believed to be a major environmental risk factor for the onset of ARDs but data from low- to middle-income countries is limited. Our purpose was to assess the prevalence of ARDs and atopy among a population of rural Ethiopian school children and identify environmental and lifestyle factors associated with such disorders. We performed a cross-sectional study on 541 school-children. An interviewer-led questionnaire administered to the mothers of each participant provided information on demographic and lifestyle variables. Questions on allergic disease symptoms were based on the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Children (ISAAC) core allergy and environmental questionnaire. Skin prick test for common allergens German cockroach (Blattella germanica) and dust mite (Dermatophagoides) was performed to define atopy. Multiple logistic regression analyses were performed to determine the odds ratio between ARDs and atopy with specific environmental and lifestyle habits. 541 children responded to the survey questions: the majority of participants were female (60.3%) and aged 10-15 years-old. The prevalence of any ARD was 27%, while the rates of ever-having eczema, rhinitis, and wheeze was found to be 16.8%, 9.6%, and 8.6% respectively. Only 3.6% (19 school-children) tested positive for any skin sensitization. Analysis of associated factors for ARDs found that a family history of allergic disorders (AOR: 2.80; p-value