Atopic disease in the Hong Kong Chinese

One hundred and sixty Chinese men and 96 women resident in Hong Kong completed a questionnaire about atopic disease and their responses were compared with replies from 500 Britons. Asthma and hayfever were less common in the Chinese and this could not be attributed to medical awareness as the results were similar in Chinese surgical patients and Chinese medical students. The role of heredity and environment may be assessed by studying Chinese people who have moved to Britain.