(Un)Awareness of Allergy

A.Fusun Kalpaklioglu, MD; Ilkay Koca Kalkan, MD; Ahmet Akcay, MD; Ismail Reisli, MD; Demet Can, MD; Nevin Uzuner, MD; Hasan Yuksel, MD; Cengiz Kirmaz, MD; Figen Gulen, MD; Dane Ediger, MD

World Allergy Organization Journal (Jan 2011)

(Un)Awareness of Allergy

A.Fusun Kalpaklioglu, MD,
Ilkay Koca Kalkan, MD,
Ahmet Akcay, MD,
Ismail Reisli, MD,
Demet Can, MD,
Nevin Uzuner, MD,
Hasan Yuksel, MD,
Cengiz Kirmaz, MD,
Figen Gulen, MD,
Dane Ediger, MD

Affiliations

A.Fusun Kalpaklioglu, MD: Department of Immunology and Allergic Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, Kirikkale University, Kirikkale, Turkey; Corresponding author.
Ilkay Koca Kalkan, MD: Department of Immunology and Allergic Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, Kirikkale University, Kirikkale, Turkey
Ahmet Akcay, MD: Department of Pediatrics, Division of Allergy and Chest Diseases, Gaziantep University Hospital, Gaziantep, Turkey
Ismail Reisli, MD: Department of Pediatric Immunology and Allergy, Meram Medical Faculty, Selcuk University, Konya, Turkey
Demet Can, MD: Department of Pediatric Allergy, Behcet Uz Child Disease and Surgery Education and Research Hospital, Izmir, Turkey
Nevin Uzuner, MD: Department of Pediatric Allergy, Dokuz Eylül University, Izmir, Turkey
Hasan Yuksel, MD: Department of Pediatric Allergy and Pulmonology, Celal Bayar Medical Faculty, Manisa, Turkey
Cengiz Kirmaz, MD: Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Immunology and Allergy, Celal Bayar Medical Faculty, Manisa, Turkey
Figen Gulen, MD: Department of Pediatrics, Division of Allergy and Pulmonology, Aegean University School of Medicine, Izmir, Turkey
Dane Ediger, MD: Department of Allergic Chest Diseases, Uludag University Medical Faculty, Bursa, Turkey

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 4, no. 11
pp. 170 – 178

Abstract

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Background Allergy is associated with considerable morbidity.Objective The aim of this multicenter study was to provide insight into allergy knowledge and perceptions among the population.Methods During the World Allergy Day, several allergy clinics conducted public meetings to encourage the awareness of and education in allergy. At the beginning, participants filled out a questionnaire to assess their knowledge about what is allergy and to determine by whom those symptoms are cared.Results A total of 256 participants (187 women/69 men, mean age, 31.2 ± 12.5 years) completed the survey. Of the 202 participants with symptoms, 58.9% had physician-diagnosed allergic disease. Among the 19 symptoms evaluated, 56.5% of the symptoms were recognized as related with allergy, and this increased in compliance with education level (r = +0.427; P < 0.001) but not with diagnosed allergy (P = 0.34). Sneezing was the most common symptom thought to be related with allergy-related symptom (77.5%), whereas loss of smell was the least one (37.9%). Participants were more likely to be cared by an allergologist (72.9%) followed by other specialties, when experiencing allergy.Conclusions Increasing the awareness for allergic symptoms is the key not only for the diagnosis but also for the optimal treatment. Therefore, education is an important component of prevention and control of allergic diseases. Keywords: allergy, asthma, awareness, diagnosis, symptom, treatment

Published in World Allergy Organization Journal

ISSN: 1939-4551 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: Netherlands
LCC subjects: Medicine: Internal medicine: Specialties of internal medicine: Immunologic diseases. Allergy
Website: https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/world-allergy-organization-journal

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