Atopic disease among adults in Northern Russia, an area with heavy air pollution

The cumulative incidence of atopic disease among adults was assessed in the heavily polluted Russian town Nikel on the Kola peninsula. The study was conducted in spring 1994 using a self-administered questionnaire. A total of 3,368 (93.6%) of the 3,600 subjects returned a completed questionnaire. Information about atopic diseases, smoking habits and living conditions in the family was also obtained. A cumulative incidence of atopic diseases of 11% was reported in 377 adults. This was significantly more frequent in women (12.7%) than in men (9.7%). Smoking habits differed from other western countries, as 53% of males and only 10% of females smoked. Indoor damp was reported by 13% and the keeping of dogs and cats by 52%. Our study indicates that atopic diseases is less frequent among adults in a heavily polluted Arctic Russian town than in western industrialized countries.